New images posted to social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, by the service’s Escort Flotilla Four show JS Kaga departed from its dock at Japan Marine United (JMU) ’s shipyard in Kure City, Hiroshima Prefecture, and carried out sea trials.
“Today’s post is about JS Kaga during sea trials. There is only a little bit time left until the special modification of JS Kaga is completed! We can’t wait!” the Escort Flotilla Four said in the post excitingly.
JS Kaga’s homeport is the JMSDF Kure Naval Base, where the service’s Escort Division Four of the Escort Flotilla Four is located.
Although the JMSDF has not disclosed when the sea trials were conducted officially, an official at the service confirmed to Naval News that it conducted its first sea trials on November 13.
As reported by Naval News on April 25, JS Kaga departed from the dock at JMU’s shipyard in Kure on April 20 for the first time for over a year after undergoing modifications. It already looked like a light aircraft carrier. The bow section of its flight deck had 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 JMSDF plans to finish modifying its two Izumo-class helicopter carriers – JS Izumo and JS Kaga – into aircraft carriers capable of enabling Lockheed Martin F-35B fighter aircraft operations during fiscal year 2027.
As for Kaga, JMU started refit work on at the company’s Kure shipyard 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.
Meanwhile, Izumo will undergo modifications of the bow section of its flight deck a trapezoid into a square shape during next fiscal year 2024,starting April, following JS Kaga’s same modifications during the current fiscal year 2023.
As reported by Naval News on December 22, the JMSDF secured $287.3 million (40.9 billion yen) to modify Izumo’s bow section during fiscal year 2024, following JS Kaga’s same modifications during the current fiscal year 2023. It also earmarked $4.2 million (600 million yen) to equip Izumo with a landing navigation system for F-35Bs, which is set to be Raytheon’s Joint Precision Approach and Landing System (JPALS).
The 248 m-long Izumo-class vessels, which displaces 26,000 tons at full load, is the largest Japanese military ship built since the Second World War and can carry up to 14 helicopters.
