--- title: "Japan Expands Carrier Capabilities With F-35B, Drones Could Be Next" description: "Japan will have two amphibious assault ships modified as fixed-wing fighter carriers, and uncrewed shipborne aircraft may be the next step. Japan now has two amphibious assault ships modified as STOVL carriers, and uncrewed shipborne aircraft may be the next step." date: "2024-10-22" modified: "2024-10-22" authors: - name: "Thomas Newdick" job_title: "Staff Writer" link: "https://www.twz.com/authors/thomas-newdick.md" url: "https://www.twz.com/sea/japan-expands-carrier-capabilities-with-f-35b-drones-could-be-next" categories: - "Air" - "Around The Globe" - "Carriers" - "F-35" - "F-35B" - "Fighters" - "Indo-Pacific" - "Izumo Class" - "Japan" - "JS Kaga" - "Naval Aviation" - "News & Features" - "Sea" - "U.S. Marine Corps" - "Unmanned" --- # Japan Expands Carrier Capabilities With F-35B, Drones Could Be Next ![BF-19, Lt Cdr Nicholas Baker RN, Flight 633, Test 808, Arrival JS KAGA for beginning of DT Sea Trails, 20 October 2024]() *U.S. Navy/Photo by Cmdr. Darin Russell* A U.S. Marine Corps [F-35B stealth fighter]() has for the first time operated aboard [Japan’s biggest in-service warship](), the *Izumo* class ‘multifunctional destroyer’ *Kaga*. [We have previously reported]() on the significant modifications made to this ship to ensure it can operate the short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) jets, which Japan [is also acquiring](). At the same time, there are signs that Japan may also be looking to expand the fixed-wing capabilities of this class of vessel, including drones and potentially other crewed platforms. A Marine Corps F-35B flown by a test pilot from Air Test and Evaluation Squadron Two Three (VX-23) landed aboard *Kaga* for the first time on October 20, off the southern coast of California. The vessel is currently embarking an integrated test team as part of the developmental test effort to certify the modified vessel for operating F-35Bs. ![A U.S. Marine Corps F-35B stealth fighter has for the first time operated aboard Japan’s biggest in-service warship, the Izumo class ‘multifunctional destroyer’ Kaga. We have previously reported on the significant modifications made to this amphibious assault ship to ensure it can operate the short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) jets, which Japan is also acquiring. At the same time, there are signs that Japan may also be looking expand the fixed-wing capabilities of this class of vessel, including drones and potentially other crewed platforms.]() *Lt. Cdr. Nicholas Baker of the U.K. Royal Navy arrives at Kaga for the beginning of development test sea trials, on October 20, 2024. *U.S. Navy/Photo by Cmdr. Darin Russell* U.S. Navy/Photo by Cmdr. Darin Russell* Metadata provided with the U.S. Navy photos indicate that the test pilot was British, part of the F-35 Integrated Test Force (ITF) at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland. https://twitter.com/PawelSokala/status/1848394768826683556 According to the U.S. Department of Defense, “Data that testers gather during these sea trials will be analyzed and eventually inform decisions to enhance the capabilities of the \[Japan\] Maritime Self-Defense Force as well as contribute to improved interoperability between Japan and the U.S.” ![BF-19, Lt Cdr Nicholas Baker RN, Flight 633, Test 808, Arrival JS KAGA for begining of DT Sea Trails, 20 October 2024]() *The U.S. Marine Corps F-35B prepares to touch down on the deck of *Kaga*. *U.S. Navy/Photo by Cmdr. Darin Russell* Darin Russell* In April last year, [we published photos]() showing some of the modifications made to *Kaga*, as it left dock as the latest STOVL carrier for the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF). https://twitter.com/zotTactnmap7PM3/status/1648858847841505280?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1648858847841505280%7Ctwgr%5Eaaeaf2a2c9976b4c3d931ab0510fb7ae3dfcb73c%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.twz.com%2Fjapans-converted-f-35b-carrier-leaves-dock-sporting-new-bow Modifications included reconfiguring the shape of the vessel’s bow section, making the bow significantly wider, and applying a heat-resistant coating to its deck. The [Phalanx]() 20mm close-in weapon system (CIWS) previously mounted on the front of the warship was also removed. Subsequently, further modifications involved re-balancing and structurally reinforcing *Kaga’s* hull. ![]() **Kaga* shortly before pulling away from its dock in Kure City, Hiroshima Prefecture, in April 2023. *@betafujihara via X** *Kaga* was originally launched in 2015 and commissioned in 2017. Japan has previously tested the U.S. Marine Corps F-35B from the deck of a modified *Izumo* class warship, when the name ship of the class undertook trials in October 2021, as you can read about [here](). This was the time that Japan had operated fixed-wing aircraft from ships since the end of World War II. A video showing those trials is embedded below. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6WqRCALGd0 *Izumo* was commissioned in 2015 and completed its first phase of modifications in 2021. However, the second phase of modifications, including the *Kaga*-style squared-off flight deck, are not scheduled to begin until March next year. Tokyo took the decision to modify its two *Izumo* class vessels for STOVL operations back in 2018, although there had previously been rumors that a return to fixed-wing carrier aviation was always likely, [despite official statements to the contrary](). While officially described as ‘multifunctional destroyers,’ the *Izumo* class warships were primarily helicopter carriers, prior to the STOVL modifications. ![]() **Kaga* arriving at Tanjung Priok port in Jakarta, Indonesia on September 18, 2018. Note the bow design before the remodeling, with the Phalanx CIWS fitted. *Photo by Andrew Lotulung/NurPhoto via Getty Images** Once modified, the two warships will be able to embark Japan’s F-35Bs. 42 are on order and they will be operated by the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF), which also [has a growing fleet]() of conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) F-35A versions. As the tests with U.S. Marine Corps F-35Bs suggest, the modifications to the vessels also pave the way to interoperability with American F-35Bs. While this would help maximize the utility of these vessels, especially bearing in mind the JASDF’s relatively small F-35B fleet, there remain questions about the feasibility of longer-term Marine Corps deployments aboard Japan’s carriers. This is something [that also applies to the United Kingdom](), which has raised the possibility of embarking Marine Corps F-35Bs more regularly to help boost its carrier strike potential. ![]() *HMS *Queen Elizabeth* embarking F-35Bs from British and American squadrons during maneuvers in 2020. *Crown Copyright** Still, even if embarked on a more ad-hoc basis, or during cross-deck operations, Marine Corps F-35Bs will likely go to sea aboard the *Izumo* class in the future. What aircraft might join them is somewhat more intriguing. Last week, at the Japan International Aerospace Exhibition in Tokyo, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) presented a rendering showing its carrier-capable Gambit 5 drone — which is based around [a common modular core ‘chassis’ concept]() — operating from an *Izumo* class warship. ![]() *Concept artwork showing the carrier-capable Gambit 5 drone operating from the *Izumo*. *GA-ASI** This is not the first time that we’ve seen the Gambit 5 presented on an aircraft carrier. The drone was revealed in the form of concept artwork showing it on a [*Queen Elizabeth* class]() vessel for the United Kingdom at the Farnborough Airshow in July. You can read about the overarching Gambit 5 concept [here](). ![]() *A rendering featuring a catapult-equipped *Queen Elizabeth* class carrier with a Gambit-series drone ready to launch. *GA-ASI** Regarding the Gambit 5 on the *Izumo* class, C. Mark Brinkley, a General Atomics spokesman, explained to *TWZ*: “It’s meant to open the discussion with attendees on sea-based options for autonomous collaborative platforms because we see that as a very real opportunity for many nations.” As to the drone itself, while the Gambit 5 is now also being suggested for short takeoff and landing (STOL) operations from land bases, it was originally developed for shipboard use. ![]() *A company rendering of the Gambit 5 operating from a flattop. *GA-ASI** “The biggest challenges for Gambit 5 are sea-basing challenges, not specifically short takeoff and landing,” Brinkley added. “The ship is moving, the deck is moving, the weather and climate play a role. We’ve invested years of research and investment on projects such as the U.S. Navy’s [Unmanned Carrier-Launched Airborne Surveillance and Strike]() (UCLASS) program and [Carrier-Based Aerial-Refueling System]() (CBARS). We understand the challenges to operating uncrewed jets at sea, and we know that Gambit 5 can be made real.” Putting advanced drones on carriers is a growing area of interest right now, with [China](), Turkey, the [United Kingdom](), and the United States all exploring options of how best to integrate uncrewed platforms, of different sizes, on these warships. In particular, the potential for smaller aviation-capable vessels to operate drones is being explored, with Turkey notably even seeking to field a carrier that’s [specifically tailored to support drones](). ![]() *The Turkish Navy flagship, *Anadolu*, which is planned to be used as a carrier for different tiers of armed drones. *Photo by Serhat Cagdas/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images** In the case of the Gambit 5 concept, the vessel is provided with catapults to launch the drones, as was the case with the *Queen Elizabeth* class concept. However, the British carrier differs from the *Izumo* class in being equipped with a ‘ski jump’ launch ramp, originally for STOVL operations. The [British announced plans last year]() to integrate assisted launch systems and recovery gear onto the ships in the future. Although there is no confirmation at this stage that Japan plans something similar for its smaller *Izumo* class ships, it would make them able to operate fixed-wing drones, and potentially even other fixed-wing crewed aircraft. As well as the Gambit 5 and F-35B, the GA-ASI concept artwork shows [F/A-18E Super Hornet]() fighters and an [E-2 Hawkeye]() airborne early warning and control aircraft operating from the *Izumo* class. While Japan already operates the E-2 in a land-based capacity, it has no known plans to acquire fixed-wing carrier fighters in the Super Hornet class. ![ANDERSEN AIR FORCE BASE, Guam - Japan Air Self Defense Force E-2C Hawkeye joins a United States B-52 bomber for the two week Cope North exercise here Feb. 4. Cope North is two-week annual Bilateral exercise between U.S. forces and the Japan Air Self Defense Force that began Feb. 2, and is designed to strengthen military relationships between the two countries as well as enhance U.S. and Japanese air operations in defense of Japan. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Courtney Witt)]() *A Japan Air Self-Defense Force E-2C Hawkeye during the Cope North exercise at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam. *U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Courtney Witt* Airman First Class Courtney Witt* There are huge challenges in adapting carriers that are already fixed-wing-capable to accommodate even slightly larger aircraft, due to space requirements and the dimensions of existing elevators and other infrastructure. Even if Japan was in the market for carrier-based non-STOVL fighters and E-2s, whether they would be able to incorporate them in the *Izumo* class is another question entirely. Also shown in the artwork is an [SH-60 Seahawk]() series helicopter, a type used by Japan previously aboard a wide range of warships, including the *Izumo* class. Not shown, but another important type for the *Izumo* class is the [MV-22 Osprey]() tiltrotor, of which Japan is currently the only export operator. Potentially, the tiltrotors [could be configured as tankers](), to support the F-35Bs, which would be a huge benefit for operations over the expanses of the Pacific. Nevertheless, the artwork does reflect the potential that the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) and the Advanced Arresting Gear (AAG) that GA-ASI first developed for the U.S. Navy’s [*Ford* class aircraft carriers]() could also bring new capabilities to the *Izumo* class and other aviation-capable vessels. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQ3Ob9IF_w8 [We have discussed in the past]() how EMALS and AAG are well suited to bringing drones into carrier air wings since they can be finely tuned in terms of the forces they exert on aircraft during launch and recovery. This makes them especially relevant for operators looking to utilize smaller and lighter drone designs from flattops. For Japan, having a carrier-capable drone like the Gambit 5 would provide a powerful adjunct to the F-35B. The Gambit 5 was derived from the air-to-air-capable Gambit 2, but it could also be used for strike as well as intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR). Drones such as the Gambit 5 and or the same company’s [MQ-9B STOL]() could bring important boosts in capability and overall capacity to Japan’s carrier air wings, which are now very much in their infancy. Faced with the prospect of a potential confrontation with China, armed carrier-based drones could help Japan generate critical additional ‘mass,’ supporting F-35B missions including in more hazardous scenarios, engaging targets in the air, at sea, and on land. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2FvQ-T5ZXE Even unarmed drones would be valuable force multipliers, conducting missions such as ISR, command and control, extending targeting capabilities, and boosting situational awareness. Meanwhile, a drone like the [MQ-25 Stingray](), provided it could be integrated on the *Izumo*, would deliver aerial refueling to extend the reach of the carriers’ F-35Bs. ![]() *A prototype MQ-25 Stingray. *Boeing* www.twz.com* At this stage, it’s not clear if Japan is actively planning to add drones to the future air wings of the *Izumo* class and, if it does, whether they would be fixed-wing types requiring launch and recovery gear to be added. “We are absolutely talking to potential customers at Farnborough about the concept,” Brinkley said in the summer, when the Gambit 5 was unveiled, but did not name any specific prospective buyers. The U.S. Navy is already signaling the centrality of drones in future carrier operations, with plans to eventually have [up to 60 percent uncrewed aircraft]() in its carrier air wings. Very likely, Japan is watching such developments closely and looking at the options for adding drones to its already very capable *Izumo* class vessels. Until then, Japan will continue to work toward having crewed stealth fighters operational on these two warships, with the recent test flights by a Marine Corps F-35B the latest step toward achieving this. *Contact the author: thomas@thewarzone.com* ## Author Thomas Newdick is a staff writer at *TWZ*, where he covers military aviation, defense technology, weapons systems, and international security. Based in Berlin, Germany, he reports on conflicts, military modernization efforts, and emerging aerospace technologies around the world, with a particular interest in airpower and its role in contemporary warfare. His reporting is informed by deep expertise in modern and historical airpower, particularly in Europe, with a focus on military aviation, air campaigns, and aerospace developments across the continent and beyond. Over a journalism career spanning more than 25 years, Thomas has become known for making complex defense and aerospace topics accessible to a broad audience. His reporting combines technical expertise, historical context, and a focus on the real-world operational and strategic implications of military developments. ### Author social links [Twitter]()