Kaga, the second ship of the Izumo-class DDH, has been primarily designed to carry SH-60 helicopters and to operate as a core ship in anti-submarine warfare. In 2018, however, the Japanese government made a decision to modify the Izumo-class DDH to allow it to operate F-35B fighter jets. The main purpose of this is to strengthen air defense capabilities, especially in the Pacific region, and to complement the operation of the F-35B by the U.S. Navy’s LHA/LHD.
It is also believed to be aimed at strengthening Japan’s presence in the Indo-Pacific region on the occasion of the Indo-Pacific Deployment (IPD), a long-term deployment of Izumo-class DDHs and other destroyers in the Indo-Pacific region that has been conducted for the past several years.
The modification of the Izumo class will mainly involve changing the shape of the bow section from the current trapezoidal shape to a square and applying a heat-resistant coating to the flight deck. The first ship, Izumo, has already completed its first modification in 2021 and has also completed landing and takeoff tests with the US Marine Corps’ F-35B. The modification of Izumo is divided into two phases. In the first phase, the flight deck was coated with a heat-resistant coating, and in the second phase, the shape of the bow section will be modified. The second phase of modification is scheduled to begin in March 2025, with work to be completed by early 2027.
On the other hand, the modification of the second ship, Kaga, is currently in the first phase of work, which includes heat-resistant coatings and a change in the shape of the bow section. This work is expected to be completed by March 2023, with the subsequent second phase of modification taking place between FY2026 and FY2027. In addition, the hull will be re-balanced and structurally reinforced to accommodate the increased weight, and these works are expected to be completed by March 2024, with the second phase of modifications to take place between FY2026 and FY2027. The F-35Bs to be onboard the Izumo class will be operated by the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF). First, six aircraft will be deployed in FY2024 and two in FY2025, for a final total of 42 aircraft.
According to photos provided to Naval News by a local spotter, Kaga has already completed work to reshape the bow section and is in the process of applying a heat-resistant coating to the flight deck. The heat-resistant coating is applied to the aft side of the flight deck to withstand the exhaust heat generated when the F-35B makes a vertical landing. In addition, on December 27, JMSDF’s Escort Flotilla 4 posted on Twitter the first frontal view of the Kaga since the bow section was reshaped.
