Japan now has operational light aircraft carrier

• The JS Kaga, originally a helicopter-carrying destroyer, has been converted into a light aircraft carrier and recently completed its first operational mission in the Pacific Steller 2025 naval exercises. The ship sailed alongside U.S. and French naval vessels, showcasing its new capabilities.
• Engineers upgraded the Kaga with a reinforced flight deck, improved hangar and advanced aviation systems to support F-35B fighter jets, which have short takeoff and vertical landing capabilities.
• Japan’s expansion of its naval power, including plans to acquire at least 42 F-35Bs, is a strategic move to counter increasing regional aggression from China’s military forces.

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The flagship of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, the JS Kaga, has just completed its first operational mission as a light aircraft carrier. Converted from a multi-functional destroyer, the Kaga took part in the Pacific Steller naval exercises, which took place in the Philippine Sea. The Kaga sailed alongside vessels from the United States and French navies.

From carrying helicopters to fighter jets

The Kaga was originally commissioned in 2017 but its mission was to be a destroyer that could carry helicopters. However, the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) needed its navy to have a longer reach.

To achieve this, the Kaga underwent extensive modifications to accommodate more advanced aircraft. Those modifications included the 5th generation F-35B, which is the only F-35 variant with short takeoff and vertical landing capabilities.

The upgrades to the Kaga included:

• A better hangar and ammo storage for modern stealth fighters.
• Highly advanced aviation control systems for air operations.
• A reinforced flight deck.

An F-35B landing vertically or taking off from a short runway generates significant thrust. That requires the deck to withstand extreme heat and pressure — far more than what a typical helicopter landing would generate.

Last October, the Kaga conducted sea trials off the coast of California with U.S. Marines. These trials proved that the converted vessel was fully capable of supporting F-35B flight operations. Now, with the completion of Pacific Steller 2025, the JMSDF light aircraft carrier is ready for active duty.

A response to China

The Kaga can carry 12 F-35Bs. While the F-35B is the only variant designed to operate from amphibious assault ships and light aircraft carriers, it boasts the same stealth technology and advanced avionics as the F-35A and F-35C variants.

Often described as a “flying computer,” the F-35 provides pilots with an unprecedented level of information and battlefield management capabilities — superior to any other jet fighter currently in operation. Japan plans to acquire at least 42 of them.

This expansion of Japan’s defensive capabilities is aimed at countering growing aggression in the region, particularly from the Chinese Communist Party and its People’s Liberation Army, Navy, Air Force and Rocket Force.