Click here - to select or create a menu

Naval News

SHIELD AFRICA 2021
  • News
  • Event News
    • Euronaval 2020
    • SNA 2020
    • MADEX 2019
    • PACIFIC 2019
  • Interviews
  • Videos
  • Advertising
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
Home» News»Japan Officially Selects F-35B Fighter as STOVL Aircraft
Italian Navy F-35B STOVL fighter

Japan Officially Selects F-35B Fighter as STOVL Aircraft

Japan's Ministry of Defense (MoD) has officially announced the selection of the F-35B fighter as its future short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) aircraft. The U.S. government and Lockheed Martin were the sole bidder.

Xavier Vavasseur 17 Aug 2019

The MoD issued a brief statement on August 16, 2019, saying that “the F-35B satisfied all the requirements for the Air Self-Defense Force’s short-range takeoff and vertical landing fighter”.

Japan decided in December 2018 to procure 42 STOVL aircraft to strengthen the country’s defense in its southern islands (due to a limited number of air bases and increasing threat from China).

A request for proposal was issued in March 2019 with proposals due by June. Unsurprisingly, the U.S. government and Lockheed Martin were the only party to submit a proposal.

JASDF F-35A

JASDF F-35B for JMSDF Izumo ?

It is a known fact now that the MoD is looking to adapt the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF)’s Izumo-class “helicopter destroyer” into full fledged aircraft carriers capable of deploying (and recovering) F-35B STOVL aircraft.

During our visit aboard JS Izumo in Singapore (IMDEX Asia naval defense show in May), the officers categorically refused to answer questions about the expected modification work.

During MAST Asia 2019 held near Tokyo in June, an ATLA representative said it was still too early to tell what these modifications will consist in, which shipyard would be in charge of the work, and when the work will be conducted. Asked about which service would be flying the F-35B, the ATLA representative told Naval News that it was “not decided yet”. However a Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) standing nearby joined the conversation and said that, in his opinion, “the F-35B would be owned and flown by the ASDF because the MSDF doesn’t operate fast jets”. Yesterday’s statement from the MoD seems to confirm this early information because it mentions “ASDF requirements”.

The JASDF has 105 F-35A conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) variant on order with about a dozen already operational.

F-35 converted #JapaneseNavy Izumo carriers will look like this once converted for the use of the F-35. The conversion will include the adding of a sky jump to the ship. @9b3OR2qdITMbDcd @katsuyatakasu @Aryanwarlord @Nisi_harekaze @yurikageyama @me109g2 @Mossie633 @T_AH19 pic.twitter.com/V2epgCHeDO

— IndoPacific_SCS_Info (@IndoPac_Info) November 30, 2018
Non-official scale model of F-35B aircraft carrier based on Izumo helicopter destroyer

Displacing 27,000 tons (full load), the two Izumo-class DDH are the largest vessel of the JMSDF fleet (as well as its flagship). They have a length of 248 meters, accommodations for up to 970 (including crew and troops) and can carry and deploy up to 14 maritime helicopters like the SH-60K. It hangar and elevator can also accommodate the V-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft (17 on order, first one delivered to the JASDF in August 2017).

JASDF V-22 Osprey
USMC V-22 Osprey inside JS Izumo’s hangar

Izumo has one sistership: JS Kaga.

Izumo was built by Japan Marine United (JMU), launched in August 2013 and commissioned in March 2015. JMU is therefore the most likely candidate to conduct the F-35B adaptation work. The extent of this work however is not clear yet. Will many non official renderings (or scale model like above) show the addition of a ski-jump, there remain doubts whether this will actually materialize. A Japanese source [Twitter user @japanesepatrio6 因幡のよっちゃん(CV・内田真礼)] told Naval News that the addition of a ski jump could pose weigh distribution issues to the ship (because of the presence of the bow sonar, which aircraft carrier typically don’t have).

The Italian Navy just started similar modification work to its Cavour aircraft carrier, to make it compatible with the F-35B.

Our video coverage aboard JS Izumo
F-35B Izumo Japan JASDF JMSDF 2019-08-17
Tags F-35B Izumo Japan JASDF JMSDF
Facebook Twitter Stumble linkedin Pinterest More

Authors

Posted by : Xavier Vavasseur
Xavier is based in Paris, France. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Management Information Systems and a Master of Business Administration from Florida Institute of Technology (FIT). Xavier has been covering naval defense topics for nearly a decade.

Related Articles

Australia France India Japan and the United States Take Part in Exercise La Pérouse

Australia France India Japan and the United States Take Part in Exercise La Pérouse

Xavier Vavasseur 06 Apr 2021
The multinational naval exercise La Pérouse kicked off yesterday in the Eastern Indian Ocean. Ships and aircraft of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), French Navy, Indian Navy...
Japan to introduce 3 new transport vessels by 2024

Japan to introduce 3 new transport vessels by 2024

Yoshihiro Inaba 02 Apr 2021
According to Kishi, the new ships will include one medium-sized Logistics Support Vessels (LSV) capable ...
Japan Coast Guard orders two more H225 helicopters

Japan Coast Guard orders two more H225 helicopters

Naval News Staff 01 Apr 2021
Japan Coast Guard (JCG) will expand its fleet with two new H225 helicopters, taking its total Super Puma fleet up to 17, comprising two AS332s and 15 H225s.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Legal / Privacy Policy
About Us
Contact Us

Copyright © 2021 Naval News
All Rights Reserved