Japan, South Korea may refit naval ships for F-35 fighters

[GhostZ06]

MELBOURNE, Australia — Amid growing tensions in the region, both Japan and South Korea are reportedly investigating options to operate the Lockheed-Martin F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter on board their respective ships.

Quoting reports from unnamed military sources in their respective countries, Japan’s Kyodo news agency and South Korea’s Yonhap said that the short take-off vertical landing, or STOVL F-35B variant is being considered for operations from Japan’s Izumo-class DDH helicopter destroyer and South Korea’s Dokdo-class amphibious assault ship, turning them into combat-capable aircraft carriers.

Kyodo’s also reported that the F-35Bs could be used to defend Japan’s far flung southwestern islands, which lack long runways needed for conventional fighter jets to operate.



That strategy is being considered in response to North Korea’s ballistic missile and nuclear capabilities, as well as China’s rapid military modernization,

Asked about the reports at a media conference on Tuesday, Japanese defense minister Itsunori Onodera repeatedly denied any plans to modify the Izumo-class to operate F-35Bs, only going as far as saying the ministry is constantly “conducting various studies evaluating Japan’s defense capability.”

Modification of the ships to operate the F-35B will enhance flexibility and expand the range of missions, with Yonhap quoting a source as saying that the South Korean military is looking at “maximizing the strategic value of the vessel’s capabilities.” The ships can carry several helicopters during normal operations, with the Izumo and Dokdo class designed to carry a maximum of 14 and 10 helicopters respectively.

Both ship classes will however need to be modified extensively internally and externally to operate the F-35B, including the application of a thermally protective coating on areas of the flight deck to withstand hot exhaust gases during F-35B vertical landings, and possibly even reshaping the flight deck to allow rolling takeoffs.

They will also need to have the ammunition magazines hardened and enlarged to accommodate the F-35B’s weapons, while aviation fuel storage facilities will also likely need to be expanded to account for higher fuel consumption compared to helicopters.
Reuters has suggested that a ski-jump may be fitted to the Izumo as part of any modification program for the F-35B, however with the Izumo-class being 248 meters long and the Dokdo 199 meters, both already have flight decks long enough for the F-35B to carry out rolling takeoffs — no ski-jump needed.

Both Japan and South Korea have a single Izumo and Dokdo-class ship in service, with another ship of each class being constructed. The two countries are also operators of the F-35A conventional take off and landing version, with Japan and South Korea having 42 and 40 F-35As on order respectively.

https://www.defensenews.com/global/...orea-may-refit-naval-ships-for-f-35-fighters/

probably a good idea, especially for japan

 

[Kowboy Karl]

F-35 greatest plane ever made

 

[Gregolian]

F-35 biggest joke ever made

This is the greatest plane ever made:


Happy Bbbrrrtttt

 

[GhostZ06]

This is the greatest plane ever made:


Happy Bbbrrrtttt

well this might be getting a 2.0 upgrade

the game arma 3 is kinda what id expect them to do with the a-10..

 

[Gregolian]

well this might be getting a 2.0 upgrade

Really want to see it.

All my friends that are still in think the F-35 is a joke but admittedly they're all Marines and Army and to quote one of them "Air Force kills Marines"

 

[GhostZ06]

Really want to see it.

All my friends that are still in think the F-35 is a joke but admittedly they're all Marines and Army and to quote one of them "Air Force kills Marines"

the one i posted is fictional, but even so

 

[Gregolian]

the one i posted is fictional, but even so

I could see it looking like that obviously.

 

[Bloody Pulp]

Korea plane is best plane. Puny US planes will fall from the sky like snowflakes if great leader orders it to be so.

 

[livingdeadmoose]

F-35 greatest plane ever made

You must not know a lot about planes.

 

[Kowboy Karl]

You must not know a lot about planes.

I know every nation wants one

I know every pilot that flys one raves about

I know it’s expensive yet we still plan to buy 2500 of em

I know it can do every Job in any role and succeed

Come at me bro

Tell me how it sucks

 

[livingdeadmoose]

I know every nation wants one

I know every pilot that flys one raves about

I know it’s expensive yet we still plan to buy 2500 of em

I know it can do every Job in any role and succeed

Come at me bro

Tell me how it sucks

Just because nations want to buy them doesn’t mean they are good. Half the equipment our military uses is garbage. The whole “military grade” thing is a myth. I can tell you most Air Force and militarily personnel think we need to upgrade our current models instead of spending a fuckton on a new model riddled with problems.

 

[Kowboy Karl]

Just because nations want to buy them doesn’t mean they are good. Half the equipment our military uses is garbage. The whole “military grade” thing is a myth. I can tell you most Air Force and militarily personnel think we need to upgrade our current models instead of spending a fuckton on a new model riddled with problems.

They could buy the typhoon the su35 the Chinese imitation crab

They all want the f-35

It’s a fleet multiplier and still deadly by itself

Cracks me up when people still try to bash it

 

[GhostZ06]

I know every nation wants one

I know every pilot that flys one raves about

I know it’s expensive yet we still plan to buy 2500 of em

I know it can do every Job in any role and succeed

Come at me bro

Tell me how it sucks

First of all, the all big budget programs start off big and get lower overtime. 1

2) we have a lot of aging airframe that need to go, Example the f-15 and older F-18s(though this plane should never replace the F-15 or A-10)
3) Every nations wants one because its easy access to 5th generation tech


personally the military needs to shut up about cost savings and just say it how it is. We keep pissing away our advantages because of this.

 

[GhostZ06]

They could buy the typhoon the su35 the Chinese imitation crab

They all want the f-35

It’s a fleet multiplier and still deadly by itself

Cracks me up when people still try to bash it

Typhoon isnt 5th generation.

so you want a piece of shit j-11 because its cheap?

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...with-warplane-engine-technology-idUSKCN0V7083

 

[Kowboy Karl]

Typhoon isnt 5th generation.

so you want a piece of shit j-11 because its cheap?

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...with-warplane-engine-technology-idUSKCN0V7083

No

I want the f-35

 

[Cuauhtemoc]

You must not know a lot about planes.

I follow a 80 year old former pilot, he fought in Vietnam and almost fought in Korea. He said the F-35 is awesome. A-10 and the like look cool but would be useless in a modern war against a technological opponent(AKA, no tISIS or the Taliban or Iraq). The F-35 and F-22 would destroy anything Russia, China or North Korea could field.

That's not to say the DEVELOPMENT process was any good, it was a mess.

 

[GhostZ06]

No

I want the f-35

Your sarcasm is cute

 

[Kowboy Karl]

Your sarcasm is cute

Hey dummy

I like the f-35

It’s awesome

Everything else sucks

 

[GhostZ06]

Hey dummy

I like the f-35

It’s awesome

Everything else sucks

just stop

 

[Kowboy Karl]

just stop