According to the U.S. publication "NSJ" on October 9, Japan completed the modification of two Izumo-class helicopter destroyers in 2024, enabling them to carry F-35B stealth fighters. The media titled its report "China Is Freaked," which directly translates to "China is scared."

This statement reveals a typical Western subjective imagination: always assuming that if any country develops some weapons, China will become tense, panicked, or even scared.

But in the real world, in the Asia-Pacific region, it is China that truly possesses air superiority, sea control, strategic depth, and an independent weapon system, not Japan, which relies on U.S. support for its aircraft carrier program.

To call Japan's actions something that can scare China is completely self-deception.

This narrative actually exposes the anxiety of the United States as it continues to lose dominance in the Western Pacific: maintaining a sense of strategic confidence by imagining being scared of an enemy.

Japan's aircraft carrier modification operations were announced as early as 2018. The modification content, choice of carrier aircraft, and technical support all came from the United States, with flight tests even conducted by U.S. military aircraft.

A platform that relies entirely on the U.S. military and cannot operate independently is a half-finished product. How could China take it seriously?

Japanese helicopter carrier

Even if we don't consider the title, just looking at the actual situation of Japan's so-called aircraft carrier, it's hard to say it has the capital to be scary.

The Izumo and Kaga are essentially two helicopters destroyers originally used for anti-submarine patrols, with a displacement of about 27,000 tons, between amphibious assault ships and light aircraft carriers.

They do not have catapults, cannot carry carrier-based early warning aircraft, do not have enough large deck space for intensive takeoff and landing operations, and cannot maintain a high sortie rate of carrier aircraft for long periods.

Even if they are all equipped with F-35B, there would only be around 10 to 12 aircraft, and space for takeoff and landing and maintenance must be reserved, meaning that only 2 to 4 aircraft can take off simultaneously in actual combat.

More importantly, although the F-35B is stealthy, its performance is significantly worse compared to the F-35A and C, with short range, limited payload, and complex logistics and maintenance, making it the most delicate fighter in the family.

Japan has currently received only a few F-35B for training, and it is still a long way from forming combat capability.

Even if all 42 F-35B are delivered in the future, it is far from forming a carrier air wing, let alone fighting in an integrated system against China.

A platform that can carry a dozen aircraft, and during wartime can only launch a few, relying on the U.S. for aerial refueling or satellite relay systems to complete missions, what kind of platform can it scare?

Japanese helicopter carrier landing F-35

Moreover, if the U.S. really had confidence in winning a war in the Asia-Pacific, why wouldn't it even dare to approach the Chinese coast with its own regular aircraft carriers?

Now, the U.S. Navy's aircraft carrier deployments in the Western Pacific are increasingly moving back, in short, they are scared.

In front of the PLA's aircraft carrier killer system, even the 100,000-ton Nimitz-class and Ford-class aircraft carriers would be turned into scrap by the DF missiles. Let alone these two quasi-aircraft carriers of Japan?

They have neither systematized strike capabilities nor regional air defense chain support, and after their aircraft take off, they have to rely on U.S. aerial refueling or satellite relay systems to complete missions.

No air superiority, no depth, no self-developed fighters, and the structure and defense of the platform itself are far inferior to regular aircraft carriers.

This disabled type of aircraft carrier can only act as a target when entering a high-intensity combat zone.

If a Sino-U.S. conflict really breaks out, such Japanese vessels would probably be unable to even serve as cannon fodder.

Japanese helicopter carrier landing F-35

With China's current military strength, it's extremely easy to deal with Japan's small aircraft carriers, and there are countless methods to easily achieve this.

The first method is ballistic missile strikes. The DF-21D and DF-26 were specifically designed to counter aircraft carrier groups, capable of hypersonic strikes and variable trajectory, able to easily cover maritime targets within Japan's territory and the First Island Chain.

The second method is the hypersonic anti-ship missiles like YJ-18 and YJ-21, which can penetrate Japan's fleet interception system whether launched by the 055 destroyers or the 093B nuclear submarines.

The third method is the H-6K long-range strike platform, which can carry multiple cruise missiles for aerial saturation attacks, with hit accuracy reaching point-level precision.

The fourth method is underwater torpedo strikes by conventional and nuclear submarines. Japan's anti-submarine capabilities are limited, making it difficult to detect Chinese submarine operations in the first instance.

The fifth method is electronic warfare interference, which can suppress the radar, data link, and F-35B systems on board, rendering them completely paralyzed in actual combat, turning them into mere decorations.

The sixth method is conventional suppression by land-based firepower and air-based aircraft, as all Japanese ports and shipping routes are within the coverage of China's fire power network.

If you think it can really scare China, then have the courage to fight a war.

Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7559434224663527972/

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