Future Japan's aircraft carrier Izumo conducts drills with Australia & Philippines.

According to a tweet published by the Japanese MoD on August 25, 2023, during the Indo-Pacific Deployment 2023, JS Izumo and JS Samidare from the First Surface Unit participated in a joint exercise near Manila with the U.S. Navy's USS Mobile, Royal Australian Navy's HMAS Canberra and HMAS Anzac, the Royal Australian Air Force's F-35A Lightning, and the Philippine Navy's BRP Davao Del Sur.
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Philippine Navy's Tarlac-class landing platform dock BRP Davao del Sur and JS Izumo. (Picture source: JMSDF)

The ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific aligns well with the principles of the Free and Open Indo-pacific, which Japan supports. The JMSDF is keen on strengthening its alliance with the U.S., improving interoperability with the Royal Australian Navy, and building defense cooperation with the Philippine Navy to ensure regional peace, stability, and maritime order.

About the JS Izumo

The JS Izumo (DDH-183) is a notable vessel of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF). Initially designed as a helicopter carrier, by 2022, it had begun its significant transformation into a light aircraft carrier.

This move was influenced by the ruling Liberal Democratic Party of Japan, which in May 2018 expressed its favor towards adapting the Izumo to operate fixed-wing aircraft. This conversion, once completed, will mark the Izumo as the first Japanese naval vessel to operate fixed-wing aircraft since the end of World War II.

The ship's construction journey began in 2011 in a shipyard located in Yokohama. By 27 January 2012, the ship was laid down, and it saw its launch on 6 August 2013.

The commissioning ceremony took place on 25 March 2015. In terms of size, the Izumo is comparable to a Japanese carrier from the Second World War era.

Despite its size and capabilities, it's termed a destroyer, primarily because the Japanese constitution has restrictions against the acquisition of offensive weapons.

In terms of aircraft operations, the Izumo has the capacity to house up to 28 aircraft or, alternatively, 14 larger aircraft. The initial plans for the ship included a complement of seven ASW helicopters and two SAR helicopters.

However, its design harbors features that can support fixed-wing aircraft operations, specifically aircraft like the Bell-Boeing V-22 Osprey and the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II. If the Izumo and its class were to operate fixed-wing aircraft, they would be limited to STOVL (short take-off, vertical landing) aircraft types.

The conversion process for the Izumo began in earnest in 2020. This process is planned in two distinct stages. The initial stage is centered around enhancing the heat resistance of the deck and incorporating power supply equipment essential for F-35B operations.

The subsequent stage, which is slated to commence at the end of 2024, will focus on adjusting the bow shape to a quadrangle for the safe operation of the F-35B and executing renovations to the interior compartments.

In its operational history, the Izumo has had significant milestones. In September 2021, it joined forces with the British aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth for exercises in the Pacific region.

This collaboration was followed by a historic moment in early October of the same year when United States Marine Corps F-35B fighters operated off the Izumo, marking the first time such operations took place on the ship.