---
title: "Japan’s aircraft carrier comeback has been quiet and impressive"
date: "2018-04-02"
modified: "2020-10-21"
authors:
  - name: "Harold C. Hutchison"
    link: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/authors/haroldhutchison.md"
url: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/articles/japans-aircraft-carrier-comeback-has-been-quiet-and-impressive/"
categories:
  - "Military News"
  - "Ships"
  - "Tactical"
---

# Japan’s aircraft carrier comeback has been quiet and impressive

The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force helicopter destroyer JS Hyuga (DDH-181) underway in the Pacific Ocean as U.S. Navy Sea Hawk helicopters hover nearby. (Photo: U.S. Navy)

---

Japan once had the second-most powerful carrier force in the world – on December 7, 1941. On that date, they had six fleet carriers and five light carriers in service, with two fleet carriers on the way. That was in comparison to the United States, which had seven fleet carriers in service with a whole lot of carriers on the way.

Today, Japan has regained the number two slot in terms of aircraft carriers. Currently, they have three in service and one on the way. Now, they don't call their aircraft carriers aircraft carriers. Instead, they are calling them "helicopter destroyers" – to create the impression they are replacing the four vessels of the *Haruna* and *Shirane* classes. These two classes each packed two five-inch guns forward along with an eight-cell ASROC launcher. At the rear, they had an over-sized (for a destroyer) hangar capable of carrying three SH-3 Sea King (later four SH-60) helicopters.

Take a good look at the *Hyuga*-class "helicopter destroyers." Put it next to a *Nimitz*-class carrier. Aside from the size difference, the *Hyuga* design obviously has much more in common with a *Nimitz* than Japan's past helicopter destroyers. In fact, the *Hyuga* and her sister *Ise*, at just under 19,000 tons, outweighed Thailand's *Chakrinaruebet*, which displaces about 11,500 tons, the Italian *Giuseppe Garibaldi* (10,500 tons), and the Spanish Principe de Asturias (16,700 tons). While *Hyuga* has a 16-cell Mk 41 VLS capable of firing RIM-162 Evolved Sea Sparrow Missiles and RUM-139 Vertical-Launch ASROCs and two triple 324mm torpedo tubes, the primary objective is to support helicopters – up to eighteen of them. In a sense, they are like the last ships named *Ise* and *Hyuga*, which ended up as hermaphrodite battleship/carriers at the end of World War II.

It should be noted the *Hyuga* has also operated V-22s, and the Spanish, Thai, and Italian carriers, while smaller, successfully operated versions of the AV-8B Harrier. With a top speed of thirty knots, the *Hyuga* can move quickly – and generate a lot of wind over the bow. That is very useful when you want to launch a V/STOL aircraft with a load of bombs and missiles.

Japan's latest aircraft carrier – helicopter destroyer – is the *Izumo*. She's 27,000 tons, carries 28 aircraft, and is roughly the size of Spain's *Juan Carlos I*, Italy's *Conte di Cavour*, and about 20 percent larger than the now retired *Invincible*-class carriers the Royal Navy used. It should be noted that the Spanish, Italian, and British carriers operated Harrier jump-jets as well.

The *Izumo* also dispenses with the heavy anti-air and anti-sub armament that the *Hyuga*-class carriers carried. *Izumo*'s only weapons are two Phalanx close-in weapon systems and two Mk 31 launchers for the RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missile. *Izumo* is currently in service while *Kaga* is on the way. In short, Japan is not confusing the *Izumo*'s purpose – at least in terms of the equipment on board. *Izumo* is still called a helicopter destroyer, even though she's really an aircraft carrier.

## Author
WATM contributor Harold Hutchison was consulting senior editor at Soldier of Fortune magazine and is the author of the novel Strike Group Reagan. He has also written for the Daily Caller, National Review, Patriot Post, Strategypage.com, and other national web sites.