The Japanese shipbuilding company Japan Maritime United has finished converting the second helicopter carrier, JS Izumo, into an aircraft carrier.
This was reported on the official website of the Surface Force Command of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force.
The ship has now been moved out of dry dock. Among the most noticeable changes is the modified bow section, which has been widened to increase the flight deck area.
This, in turn, facilitates the operation of F-35B short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) fighters.
The ship is also expected to undergo additional repair and modernization work, allowing the entire project to be completed by 2027— in accordance with the Japanese Ministry of Defense’s initial plans.
Along with the ship’s modernization, the Ministry of Defense has also funded the reestablishment of the 202nd Tactical Fighter Squadron, which will be the first unit within the Japan Air Self-Defense Force to operate carrier-based aircraft.
Previously, the Ministry of Defense had allocated $125 million for the modernization of the JS Izumo helicopter carrier.
The ship’s modernization began on November 1, 2024, when the ship entered the shipyard’s waters for the second phase of modernization.
The modernization process consists of two phases, carried out during regular technical inspections every five years.
The first phase, completed in June 2021, included heat-shielding treatment of the flight deck, installation of navigation lights, and the application of a yellow parking line.
The second phase, which began in 2024, involves modifying the bow section to a rectangular shape for F-35B takeoffs, similar to the JS Kaga.
It is worth noting that the JS Izumo already underwent practical tests on October 3, 2021, during which an F-35B aircraft landed on the ship’s deck, thereby confirming its compatibility with US aircraft.
Two F-35B Lightning II fighters from the US Marine Corps’ 242nd Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA-242 “Bats”), based at Iwakuni Air Station in Japan, participated in the tests.
The goal was to verify the results of the first phase of the JS Izumo’s modernization, specifically the heat-resistant deck coating designed to withstand extreme temperatures from the aircraft’s engines during vertical landings. The aircraft performed a series of vertical landings and short takeoffs.
Meanwhile, the second ship of this class, the JS Kaga, underwent similar tests in October 2024, though with a new bow section. The tests took place off the coast of California (USA): F-35B aircraft conducted a series of tests on it, including night flights and operations at maximum load.
The ship’s air group
The core of the ship’s air group will consist of F-35B Lightning II multi-role short takeoff and vertical landing fighters.
In total, Japan has ordered 42 aircraft of this type, of which eight have been delivered to date—they are used primarily for training flight and technical personnel.
Meanwhile, testing continues at the Nyutabaru Air Base, where vertical landing, short takeoff, and other operational scenarios are being practiced.
As previously noted, one of the units that will operate these aircraft will be the reactivated 202nd Tactical Fighter Squadron, which previously performed interception missions using Mitsubishi F-15J fighters.
