Japan agrees to harbor (port) a US nuclear powered aircraft carrier

Jeff Head

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Saw this just today HERE, on Yahoo from AP

AP via yahoo News said:
WASHINGTON - United States and Japanese officials have agreed to allow the Navy to station a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier in Japan for the first time, the Navy announced Thursday.

Though American troops have been based in Japan since the end of World War II, the Japanese public has long been wary of a U.S. nuclear presence because of concerns about possible radiation leaks. The decision comes 60 years after the United States brought the war to an end by dropping atomic bombs on a pair of Japanese cities, Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

"The security environment in the Western Pacific region increasingly requires that the U.S. Navy station the most capable ships forward," the Navy said in a statement. The deployment of the carrier, the Navy said, will "fulfill the U.S. government's commitment to the defense of Japan, and the maintenance of international peace and security in the Far East."

Nuclear-powered warships have visited Japanese ports more than 1,200 times since 1964. The Navy said the United States has provided firm commitments to the government of Japan regarding the safe use of Japanese ports by the nuclear powered warships, and it pledged to observe strictly all safety precautions and procedures.

This is the second deal to come to light this week between the two governments, in advance of high-level meetings Friday and Saturday at the Pentagon between U.S. Defense and State Department officials and Japanese military and foreign ministers. On Wednesday, U.S. officials struck a deal with Japan to build a heliport at an American base in Okinawa
This is pretty big news. The USS Kitty Hawk followed the USS Independence in being forward deployed to Japan in 1998, which itself had replaced the USS Midway there in 1991. Now a nuclear carrier will apparently follow: No mention as to which CVN at this point. Here's a couple of pics of the Kitty Hawk.





There is continuing talk in the US about forward deploying a second carrier to WESTPAC.
 
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PLA2025

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The JSDF is feeling the pressure of the PLA's modernization although they don't need to fear of China, since it has no plans to harm or attack Japan or its forces. Anyway, the real reason to deploy a Nimitz class nuclear powered aircraft carrier lies much more in the interests of the US Pentagon than of the Japanese. The US uses Japan as one of their largest military bases to maintain dominance in the Pacific / East Asia.
 

gf0012-aust

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Wild Weasel said:
That was fast...
Not really, the US/USN has been trying to get a CVN based out of Yoka for years - if not decades. The only reason why the USN maintained conventional Carriers was to ensure that they could keep a carrier presence in japan. Anti-nuke stances by the japanese had made it almost impossible for them to even think that it would happen.

I think the tipping point that assisted this was the resource disputes and the PLAN sub that was tracked too and from its home port and ended up going through Japanese territorial waters. Plus the spate of anti-Japanese events that were left unchecked earlier this year has firmed the resolve of some Japanese politicians.

In a twist of irony, one of the very things that the mainland was trying to avoid has been triggered far earlier than they would have expected.

The follow on for this change in capability goes way beyond a capability rotation - it has huge implications across a number of areas. - a small step but a quantum leap when you factor in "follow on" effects
 

EW3

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Most excellent news. Will be interesting how this affects plans.
The USN had wanted to retire the JFK rather than pay for another major yard period. But congress overrode them and wanted to keep the JFK based on the fact Japan would not permit homeporting a nuke there. With the CVN-77
due to be commissioned in 2008, We could probably retire the JFK and the KH.
The notion we need a 12 carrier fleet is based on thinking from before the advent of PGMs, SSGNs and UAVs (amongst other things).
 

pepsi

New Member
I saw the kittyhawk when it came to Sydney, so hopefully this means larger Nimitz class carriers will make their way here more often :D

What is going to happen to Kitty Hawk anyway, i think Aus should buy it and use it but i think thats pretty optimistic heh :(
 

scraw

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pepsi said:
What is going to happen to Kitty Hawk anyway, i think Aus should buy it and use it but i think thats pretty optimistic heh :(
As I recall it's pretty rooted, don't think you'd want it.
 

Francois

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The governor of Kanagawa-ken is making a big fuss on this issue.
He is very anti-nuke. But anyway, the cvn will come. No matter what.

It is planned to move the USN base down south (closer to China), so the issue should be solved that way or another.
The USN is also looking at putting a second foward deployed carrier in the area.

I don't think that China has a very pacific posture these last ten years.
Everybody get concerned on this part of the world. Even SKorea is moving its navy toward froce projection, feeling its crude supplies at risk.
 

Wild Weasel

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Both Japan and S. Korea recieve their oil imports from the Mid-East,and those ships must sail through the Straits of Mallaca, and Taiwan.
Should the South China Sea flare up into a war zone, these nation's alliances with the US, and Taiwan, and their dependence on foreign oil would mean that they have a vested interest in maintaining the security of their sea lanes of communication. So naturally, Japan and SK must develop their own power projection capabilities in order to contain the PRC's increasing reach.

Clearly, the next arms race has already begun, and it seems to be focussed in SE Asia, and the Pacifc Rim.
 

slapshot

New Member
PLA2025 said:
The JSDF is feeling the pressure of the PLA's modernization although they don't need to fear of China, since it has no plans to harm or attack Japan or its forces. Anyway, the real reason to deploy a Nimitz class nuclear powered aircraft carrier lies much more in the interests of the US Pentagon than of the Japanese. The US uses Japan as one of their largest military bases to maintain dominance in the Pacific / East Asia.
Excuse me PLA but how could you say that China has no plans to harm or attack Japan? If war breaks out between Taiwan and China then the Americans will certainly come to the defence of Taiwan and if this is the case then where is that protection home based? Japan and South Korea of course and if the the PLA is going to fight the USA you can beat they will attack american forces in Japan. The PLA in all its forms has steadly increased its offensive capabilities so yes I would suspect the PLA general staff has a plan to attack Japan and S Korea and any other country in the region that it deams a threat to its plans for Taiwan.
 

Jeff Head

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  • #13
EW3 said:
Most excellent news. Will be interesting how this affects plans.
The USN had wanted to retire the JFK rather than pay for another major yard period. But congress overrode them and wanted to keep the JFK based on the fact Japan would not permit homeporting a nuke there. With the CVN-77
due to be commissioned in 2008, We could probably retire the JFK and the KH.
The notion we need a 12 carrier fleet is based on thinking from before the advent of PGMs, SSGNs and UAVs (amongst other things).
I believe the USN will decommission both the JFK and the KH when CVN-77 comes online, one maybe earlier (JFK). The USN will then get back to 12 carriers, which is the current plan, either in 2013 or 2018.
 

Jeff Head

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Wild Weasel said:
Both Japan and S. Korea recieve their oil imports from the Mid-East,and those ships must sail through the Straits of Mallaca, and Taiwan.
Should the South China Sea flare up into a war zone, these nation's alliances with the US, and Taiwan, and their dependence on foreign oil would mean that they have a vested interest in maintaining the security of their sea lanes of communication. So naturally, Japan and SK must develop their own power projection capabilities in order to contain the PRC's increasing reach.

Clearly, the next arms race has already begun, and it seems to be focussed in SE Asia, and the Pacifc Rim.
Agreed.
 

EW3

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Jeff Head said:
I believe the USN will decommission both the JFK and the KH when CVN-77 comes online, one maybe earlier (JFK). The USN will then get back to 12 carriers, which is the current plan, either in 2013 or 2018.
Enterprise is due for retirement in 2013.
My guess is the Navy is thinking about a 10 carrier fleet plus 2 seabases.
Combined with all they have already, that could dominate the oceans for the next 30 years. The CVN-21 when it comes out with the latest fighter aircraft, UAVs, a higher sortie rate and the advanced electronics and probably DEWs will be at least 10x the capability of the current Enterprise.
Have heard the Enterprise might be converted for seabase duty.
 

Cootamundra

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EW3 said:
Enterprise is due for retirement in 2013.
My guess is the Navy is thinking about a 10 carrier fleet plus 2 seabases.
Combined with all they have already, that could dominate the oceans for the next 30 years.

Have heard the Enterprise might be converted for seabase duty.
EW3, gidday, would that be the best way forward? Enterprise is an aircraft carrier, from all I've read I thought any sea base would need to have a well deck and an ability to off load ajor cargoes etc. Plus have room for all the rotary and UAV aircraft. Wouldn't it be easier to build a purpose built class?
 

EW3

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Cootamundra said:
EW3, gidday, would that be the best way forward? Enterprise is an aircraft carrier, from all I've read I thought any sea base would need to have a well deck and an ability to off load ajor cargoes etc. Plus have room for all the rotary and UAV aircraft. Wouldn't it be easier to build a purpose built class?
Not sure I can give a valid opinion. I actually don't care for the idea of SeaBase, but am willing to admit I have been given a good sales job. Would like to know how it would be used and examples where in the past or future it might be usefull.
The comment I heard about the Enterprise was in the context of the SeaBase costing so much, they might convert the Enterprise. It was a cost saving issue.
 

Jeff Head

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  • #18
EW3 said:
Enterprise is due for retirement in 2013.
Yes she is scheduled now for that, when CVN78 comes along. But the current plan is changing and the JFK may go out sooner. They may keep the Enterprise around until 2018. We shall see.
EW3 said:
My guess is the Navy is thinking about a 10 carrier fleet plus 2 seabases.
Current plan still calls for twelve overall...but we shall see on that too.
EW3 said:
Have heard the Enterprise might be converted for seabase duty.
Had not heard that, and it would be very difficult given the well deck capability necessity.

On another note...if they also go with the JMOB concept...that will be really something.

 

gf0012-aust

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This may not be a done deal yet. The Mayor and other officials of Yokasuka Prefecture have written to the Diet stating that they will not accept a nuclear powered aircraft carrier in port.
 

Jeff Head

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gf0012-aust said:
This may not be a done deal yet. The Mayor and other officials of Yokasuka Prefecture have written to the Diet stating that they will not accept a nuclear powered aircraft carrier in port.
It will be interesting to see how it plays out. I believe the Japanese government and people overall will go for it in the current geo-political environment, but we shall see. I was surprised they already announced it.
 
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