ステルス戦闘機F35Bの搭載に向け、広島県呉市内の事業所で改修中だった海上自衛隊のいずも型護衛艦2番艦「かが」が4月20日、ほぼ1年ぶりに出渠した。艦首が四角形に改修され、前甲板部分が以前と大きく変わ
news.yahoo.co.jp
Some more info on Kaga. Conversion will still be carried out through the end of 2023, but likely doesn't need the dry dock anymore.
Huh....
From Wednesday, April 6, 2022, Yahoo! JAPAN will no longer be available from the European Economic Area (EEA) and the United Kingdom
yeah, its blocked. When I visited Denmark not too long ago, i couldn't access it without a VPN.
since im from Japan, here's a copy and paste of the yahoo article
海上自衛隊の護衛艦かが、艦首が四角形になった姿で初めて出渠 F35B搭載に向けて軽空母化改修着々と
高橋浩祐
英軍事週刊誌ジェーンズ・ディフェンス・ウィークリー東京特派員
4/20(木) 14:43
艦首が四角形に改修され、約1年ぶりに出渠した護衛艦かが(秋山健さん撮影、提供)
ステルス戦闘機F35Bの搭載に向け、広島県呉市内の事業所で改修中だった海上自衛隊のいずも型護衛艦2番艦「かが」が4月20日、ほぼ1年ぶりに出渠した。艦首が四角形に改修され、前甲板部分が以前と大きく変わった姿で初めてドックを出た。軽空母化改修が着々と進んできたことがうかがえる。
海自関係者によると、今回の出渠は一時的なもので、「かが」の1回目の軽空母化改修は今年度中は続く。現段階では、艦首右舷の前甲板先端にある高性能20mm機関砲(ファランクスCIWS)が台座だけになっていたり、外舷塗装もまだらになっていたりする。艦番号の「184」も記されていない。足場などの作業用構築物も残ったままになっている。今回出渠した理由は分かっていない。
艦首が四角形に改修され、約1年ぶりに出渠した護衛艦かが。左舷がぐんと拡張されたことがよく分かる(「呉湾艦船めぐり」撮影、提供)
政府は2023年度予算で、いずも型護衛艦1番艦「いずも」と2番艦「かが」に短距離離陸と垂直着陸が可能なF35Bを搭載できるよう、改修費として52億円を計上した。
「いずも」と「かが」の改修は、5年に一度実施される大規模な定期検査を利用して、それぞれ2回にわたって行われている。
海上幕僚監部広報室によると、海自呉基地を母港にする「かが」は昨年3月にジャパンマリンユナイテッド呉事業所の修理ドックに入渠し、軽空母化に向けての1回目の改修工事が始まった。具体的には「いずも」で既に実施された飛行甲板上の耐熱塗装や標識塗装などに加えて、「いずも」に先駆けて艦首形状を四角形に変更する工事が実施されてきた。
もともとの艦首は台形。海幕によると、細い先端部分での乱気流を抑えてF35Bを安全に運用するために、甲板を横に付け足して四角形にすることが必要となっていた。
艦首が四角形に改修され、約1年ぶりに出渠した護衛艦かが(「呉湾艦船めぐり」撮影、提供)
この「かが」の1回目の改修は今年度に終わる予定だ。2回目の改修は2026、2027の両年度に実施される。
「かが」の2回目の改修に向け、防衛省は今年度、着艦誘導装置を取得する。また、飛行甲板にある標識灯火灯を改造するほか、温度計測装置の工事を実施する。さらに衛星通信装置も改造する。
艦首が四角形に改修され、約1年ぶりに出渠した護衛艦かが。左舷がぐんと拡張されたことがよく分かる(秋山健さん撮影、提供)
なお、防衛省によると、今年度のいずも型軽空母化改修費52億円の中には米軍からの技術支援経費も含まれている。
防衛省は2024年度から宮崎県新富町にある航空自衛隊新田原基地へのF35Bの配備を予定している。
a quick translation...
The destroyer Kaga, whose bow has been refitted to a square shape, docked for the first time in almost a year (photo by Ken Akiyama, courtesy)
On April 20, the second Izumo-class destroyer of the Maritime Self-Defense Force, the Izumo class destroyer "Kaga," which was undergoing refit at a plant in Kure City, Hiroshima Prefecture, to accommodate the F35B stealth fighter, docked for the first time in almost a year. The bow of the ship was modified to a square shape, and the foredeck left the dock for the first time with a much different appearance than before. The ship's conversion to a light aircraft carrier has been progressing steadily.
According to officials of the Maritime Self-Defense Force, the docking is temporary, and the first refit of the "Kaga" to become a light aircraft carrier will continue during this fiscal year. At this stage, the high-performance 20mm phalanx CIWS located at the tip of the foredeck on the starboard side of the bow is only on a pedestal, and the exterior paintwork is still uneven. The ship number "184" is also not marked. Scaffolding and other working structures are still in place. The reason for the docking is not known.
The destroyer Kaga, with her bow modified to a square shape, has docked for the first time in about a year. The port side of the ship has been enlarged (photo taken and provided by "Kure Bay Ship Tour").
The government has allocated 5.2 billion yen in the fiscal 2023 budget to upgrade the first and second Izumo class destroyers, the Izumo and the Kaga, to be equipped with the F35B, which is capable of short takeoffs and vertical landings.
The "Izumo" and "Kaga" are being upgraded twice each, taking advantage of large-scale periodic inspections that are conducted every five years.
According to the Public Relations Office of the Maritime Staff Office, the "KAGA," which is based at Kure Air Base, entered the repair dock of Japan Marine United's Kure Shipyard last March, and the first round of refurbishment work to convert it into a light aircraft carrier began. Specifically, in addition to the heat-resistant painting and sign painting on the flight deck that had already been carried out on the "Izumo," work to change the shape of the bow to a rectangle was carried out prior to the "Izumo.
The original bow was trapezoidal. According to the naval staff, in order to suppress turbulence at the narrow tip and safely operate the F35B, it was necessary to add a deck to the side to make it a square shape.
The destroyer Kaga, whose bow was modified to be square, docked for the first time in about a year (photo taken and provided by "Kure Bay Ship Tour").
The first refit of the Kaga is scheduled to be completed this fiscal year, and the second refit will take place in fiscal years 2026 and 2027.
For the second refit of the "KAGA," the Ministry of Defense will acquire a landing guidance system this fiscal year. In addition, the signaling lights on the flight deck will be modified, and work will also be carried out on temperature measurement equipment. In addition, satellite communication equipment will be modified.
The destroyer Kaga has been refitted with a square bow and has docked for the first time in about a year. The port side of the ship has been enlarged (photo by Ken Akiyama, courtesy of the Ministry of Defense).
According to the Ministry of Defense, the 5.2 billion yen spent this fiscal year to upgrade the Izumo to a light aircraft carrier includes the cost of technical assistance from the U.S. military.
The Ministry of Defense plans to deploy F35Bs to the Air Self-Defense Force's Nittahara Air Base in Shintomi Town, Miyazaki Prefecture, starting in FY2024.