Japan Commissions Helicopter Carrier Izumo.

The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) commissioned first-in-class helicopter carrier JS Izumo (DDH 183) in a ceremony in Yokohama on 25 March.

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Japan Commissions Helicopter Carrier Izumo.

The 248 m-long vessel, which displaces 24,000 tonnes at full load, is the largest Japanese military ship built since the Second World War and can carry up to 14 helicopters. Izumo and its yet unnamed sister ship (DDH 184) are replacing JSShirane (DDH 143) and JS Kurama (DDH 144), inducted in 1980 and 1981, respectively.

DDH 184 is due to be launched in August by Yokohama-based shipbuilder IHI Marine United. It is scheduled to be commissioned in March 2017.

According to Fighting Ships , Izumo is equipped with an OQQ-22 bow-mounted sonar for submarine prosecution while air defence is provided by two Raytheon RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missile SeaRAM launchers and two Phalanx close-in weapon systems.

While optimised for anti-submarine warfare - it can embark Sikorsky/Mitsubishi SH-60K Seahawk anti-submarine warfare helicopters and the Izumo class's air wing will also include two airborne mine countermeasures versions of the Kawasaki Heavy Industries/AgustaWestland MCH-101 helicopter - JMSDF officials claim that the ship will be deployed mainly for border surveillance and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief missions.

Officials in Tokyo have also suggested it will embark Bell-Boeing V-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft and could play a command-and-control role in any operations to protect Japanese territories in the East China Sea.