Japan sent its F-35 armed “aircraft carrier” to America for war training

What you need to know: The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force helicopter destroyer JS Kaga (DDH-184) arrived in San Diego in thick fog, marking the start of F-35B Lightning II training operations with the U.S. Navy.

– The ship is undergoing assessments to optimize operations of the fifth-generation Short Take-off and Vertical Landing Fighter (STOVL). Testing runs through November 18, 2024. This is Kaga's first deployment since modifications to operate F-35Bs, including a redesigned bow, similar to U.S. amphibious assault ships.

-Although Japan's upgraded Kaga does not officially designate it as an aircraft carrier due to its pacifist constitutional policy, it is improving its air capabilities in the contested East China Sea, sparking criticism in Beijing.

Almost like something out of a Hollywood movie, a huge plane emerged from a thick fog, dwarfing smaller boats near the shore. This was not created by CGI, but occurred last Saturday in San Diego as the Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF) helicopter destroyer JS. Kaga (DDH-184) arrived – where it will soon complete F-35B Lightning II training missions with the US Navy.

San Diego Web Cam shared the short video clip of the arrival of the Izumo-class flattop on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter. On Sunday, WarshipsCam released photos of the ship after the fog cleared.

While in San Diego, JS Kaga (DDH-184) will undergo an assessment to determine how best to operate the fifth-generation short takeoff, vertical landing (STOVL) fighter. Testing began this week and will continue until November 18, 2024.

This was the first use of JS Kaga as the warship underwent operations allowing it to operate with the F-35B, the STOVL Lightning II variant.

“The tests will pave the way for improved interoperability with our allies,” the F-35 Joint Program Office (JPO) announced.

Japan's first aircraft carriers since World War II

As previously reported, the United States Marine Corps conducted STOLV exercises on JS Izumo (DDH-183) in October 2021. “U.S. Marines boarded JS Izumo and worked directly with JMSDF personnel as part of a bilateral effort to ensure the capability test was both effective and safe,” the service stated known at that time.

The JMSDF has operated the JS Izumo and JS Kaga multi-purpose flattops since 2013 and 2015, respectively. The two warships may have resembled modern aircraft carriers during their previous deployment, but were officially designated by Tokyo as “multi-role operations destroyers” because their primary purpose was to detect and destroy enemy submarines in Japan's self-defense.

In 2018, Tokyo approved a plan that would significantly improve the warships' capabilities and transform them into de facto aircraft carriers. Each of the ships has already begun a two-stage transformation that will allow them to operate fixed-wing aircraft – most notably the F-35B Lightning II.

JS Izumo underwent its first phase of modification, which included applying a heat-resistant paint to its flight deck, while JS Kaga has undergone a modification to her bow section that merits comparisons to the U.S. Navy's Wasp- and America-class amphibious assault ships. Both classes of attack ships also operate with the F-35B.

Despite the modifications to its helicopter destroyers, Tokyo remains cautious about the exact terminology and refrains from specifically calling the modified Izumo-class ships aircraft carriers. This decision is in line with the country's long-standing defensive security policy within the framework of the pacifist constitution adopted after World War II. It required some “reinterpretation” of Article 9 of the Constitution, which allowed Japan to exercise the right to “collective self-defense” and to engage in military action if one of its allies were attacked.

The converted warships could significantly improve the JMSDF's ability to conduct air operations in the contested East China Sea – a move condemned by Beijing.

Author's experience and expertise: Peter Suciu

Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based author. He has contributed in more than four dozen magazines, newspapers and websites with over 3,200 published articles over his twenty-year career as a journalist. He writes regularly about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics and international affairs. Peter is also one Contributing author for Forbes and Clearance jobs. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: (email protected).

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