New images provided to Naval News show JS Kaga departed from the dock at Japan Marine United (JMU) ’s shipyard on April 20 looking like a light aircraft carrier. Most notably, the bow section of its flight deck has been modified from a trapezoid into a square shape, similar to that found on the US Navy’s Wasp-class and America-class amphibious assault ships.
The work is not over year. A JMSDF spokesperson told Naval News that the undocking is a temporary measure, and that the first stage of modifications to convert Kaga into a light aircraft carrier will continue through the end of this fiscal year 2023. Naval News reported on the progress of the modification work last year.
As new images show, at this stage, only a pedestal for the Phalanx Block 1B close-in-weapon system (CIWS) using 20 mm Gatling guns can be seen at the tip of the foredeck on the starboard side of the bow. The paint on the outside of the vessel is yet to be mottled. Kaga’s pennant number (184) is not yet marked down. In addition, work structures such as scaffolding remain on the deck.
The spokesman said the service cannot tell why Kaga left the dock this time. But JS Shimakaze, a training ship of the JMSDF has entered into the same dock right after Kaga departed. The dock is well known among Japanese military fans as a construction site of now-defunct Imperial Japanese Navy’s then world’s largest battleship Yamato during World War II.
According to the JMSDF, the modifications to JS Izumo and JS Kaga are under way in two main stages to coincide with the vessels’ periodic refit and overhaul programs, which take place every five years.
The service begun the process of converting Izumo into a carrier capable of supporting F-35B operations in Yokohama City of Kanagawa in the first half of 2020, and its first-stage modifications were completed in June 2021 by upgrading the carrier’s fight deck and fitting heat-resistant deck spots for vertical take-offs and landings. A single yellow marking line (tramline) was also drawn on the flight deck from bow to stern. This line is provided on the flight deck of carrier-based aircraft to guide pilots during takeoff and landing. On October 5, 2021, when the U.S. Marine Corps F-35B conducted a takeoff and landing test on Izumo, the pilot landed with the center of the aircraft aligned with this yellow marking line.
The second refurbishment of Izumo will begin in fiscal year 2024. It is planned that its bow will be modified to the square shape during this second phase. The Japan Ministry of Defense (MoD) expects the modifications of the Izumo to be completed by the end of fiscal year 2026.
As for Kaga, JMU started refit work on at the company’s Kure shipyard in Hiroshima in March 2022. Its initial modifications include reinforcing the flight deck to support additional weight, placing additional guidance lights, drawing the yellow lines on the flight deck necessary for launching and landing F-35Bs, and fitting the ship with heat-resistant deck spots for vertical landings, in addition to the modifications to the bow.
During this fiscal year 2023, the MoD will acquire Raytheon’s Joint Precision Approach and Landing System (JPALS), a landing assistance system for F-35Bs. In addition, remodeling the beacon lights on the flight deck, construction of a temperature measurement device will be carried out. The satellite communication system will also be modified.
The second and final modifications, which are expected to be made during Kaga‘s next overhaul starting from the end of fiscal year 2026, include changes to the ship’s interior compartments.
The MoD plans to deploy the F-35Bs to the Japan Air Self-Defense Force’s (JASDF’s) Nyutabaru Air Base on Kyushu Island from fiscal year 2024. By deploying F-35Bs to Nyutabaru, Tokyo intends to enhance Japan’s ability to defend its remote southern islands, including those near the disputed Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands. These islands are controlled by Japan but claimed by China and Taiwan.
The MoD plans to procure a total of 42 F-35Bs, along with 105 F-35As.