I’ve posted before on what I see as Japan’s return towards its militaristic past, and now we have the JapaneseDefense Tech: Japan launching an aircraft carrier.

I present to you the the Hyuga, 18,000 tons of naval pulchritude:

Of course, it’s not a “real carrier”, like the American super-carriers, or the France’s smaller deGaulle.

Right now, it will carry 4 helicopters, 3 Blackhawk types, and 1 Ch53E Super Stallion, though in a pinch, more can be accomodated.

If the Japanese get the JSF, I can see them getting some of the STOVL versions and operating them from these boats, if just for training for a possible future, and larger, carrier of Hermes size.

But still, the idea of Japanese getting back into carrier aviation does not fill me with anticipation.