The F-35B, flown by a test pilot from Air Test and Evaluation Squadron Two Three (VX-23), an aviation unit of the USN based at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland on the East Coast, touched down on the ship about 3:15 p.m. on that day, according to a press release issued by the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) on 21 October.
“Sea trials will leverage the ship’s recent modifications to conduct fixed-wing aircraft operations. The trials will also pave the way for allies’ increased ability to operate in conjunction with each other.”
Michael Land, a public affairs officer for the Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland, F-35 Lightning II Integrated Test Force
“This test is essential for strengthening Japan’s defense capabilities and is of utmost importance. We will do our best to achieve good test results together with the ITF,” Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force Capt. Shusaku Takeuchi, commanding officer, JS Kaga, said.
“This test does not merely enhance the capabilities of the Maritime Self-Defense Force. It also improves the interoperability between Japan and the U.S., strengthening the deterrence and response capabilities of the Japan-U.S. alliance, thereby contributing to peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region,” the captain also said.
In September, the JMSDF announced its helicopter carrier JS Kaga, one of Japan’s two largest warships, plans to conduct on-board operational tests of F-35B aircraft off the coast of San Diego, California from October 5 to November 18.
With the support of the USN and United States Marine Corps, F-35B fighter aircraft from the VX-23 is scheduled to conduct primary tests such as short takeoff, vertical landing, and flight operations from the Kaga, which is being converted into a fully-fledged aircraft carrier capable of enabling F-35B operations. The operational tests of the Kaga is being conducted as part of the deployment of the JMSDF’s 4th Surface Unit for the Indo-Pacific Deployment 2024 (IPD24).
About 20 members of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force are also participating in the operational tests. The JMSDF is currently modifying its two Izumo-class helicopter carriers – JS Izumo and JS Kaga – into light aircraft carriers. The conversion of the Izumo-class vessels into aircraft carriers is aimed at strengthening deterrence against the Chinese military, which is making aggressive advances into the East and South China Seas and the Pacific Ocean.
The two vessels have been modified twice each, taking advantage of the ships’ periodic refit and overhaul programs, which take place every five years. The Kaga just finished its first major modification at the end of March this year, renovating the bow to a rectangular shape. Part of the ship’s deck also has been made heat-resistant to withstand the heat of aircraft landings.
In October 2021, the JMSDF also conducted takeoff and landing tests of the F-35B on the Izumo, supported by the U.S. Marine Corps. The tests took place off the coast of Shikoku, and F35Bs belonging to the U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni participated.
During this fiscal year 2024, as part of its second modification, the Izumo is undergoing the conversion of the bow section of its flight deck from a trapezoid into a square shape. The Kaga underwent the same modifications during fiscal year 2023. The ministry said the Izumo’s modification is scheduled to be completed in fiscal year 2027, and the Kaga’s in fiscal year 2028.
The two Izumo-class helicopter carriers (locally classified as “helicopter destroyers”) are 248 meters long and have a standard displacement of 19,500 tons.
The JASDF has yet to receive any U.S.-made F-35Bs, although the first is scheduled to be delivered to Japan by the end of fiscal year 2024, which is March 2025. The JASDF plans to acquire a total of 42 F-35Bs. The Ministry of Defense in Tokyo plans to deploy the fighter aircraft to JASDF’s Nyutabaru Air Base in Miyazaki Prefecture located in southeastern Kyushu Island on Japan’s Pacific coast, during the current fiscal year, by establishing a roughly 110-men Temporary F-35B Squadron in the air base.
