Reference Message Network reported on May 5th according to a May 4th report by Japan's Daily News, unfamiliar concepts such as "aerocraft" and "aerocarrier" appeared in a publicly tendered document recently released by Japan's Ministry of Defense's Defense Equipment Agency.

The Japanese government is committed to strengthening the air self-defense force's space combat capabilities and plans to rename it the "Air-Space Self-Defense Force" before the fiscal year 2027. However, even in this plan, the above terms were not included.

Once the news was released, it immediately sparked heated discussions online, with people shocked that equipment like the "aerocarrier," which appears in science fiction novels and anime describing space battles, would appear in an official document from the Ministry of Defense.

For many years, whether Japan should have an aircraft carrier has been a topic of debate, as the government, based on Article 9 of the Constitution, which stipulates Japan's renunciation of war, has consistently argued in parliamentary debates that the Self-Defense Forces cannot possess offensive weapons that violate the principle of "exclusive defense," with "attack-type carriers" being a typical example of such weapons.

However, regarding "carriers," the Japanese government has never given a definitive statement.

The Maritime Self-Defense Force's destroyer "Izumo," which resembles an aircraft carrier, is called a "helicopter destroyer." When it was commissioned in 2015, it could only carry helicopters. It was later modified to accommodate fixed-wing aircraft.

After modification, the "Izumo" and its sister ship, the "Kaga," both of the Izumo class, conducted takeoff and landing tests for the US F-35B fighter jets in 2021 and 2024, respectively.

Nevertheless, these two vessels still retained their original designation as "helicopter destroyers" to avoid being perceived as "carriers." This is why the use of the term "aerocarrier" by the Ministry of Defense itself has sparked heated discussions online.

So what exactly do "aerocraft" and "aerocarrier" mean? After consulting relevant responsible persons, reporters learned that they are somewhat akin to using drones in space.

Japan has no experience launching manned spacecraft. The equipment mentioned in this announcement are all types of artificial satellites, and at least in the current concept, do not include "manned" elements.

The Defense Innovation Science and Technology Research Institute, which issued the announcement, is a newly established department last autumn, mainly dedicated to developing innovative technologies, not limited to the defense sector, but also paying attention to civilian technologies.

This institute has hired managers from the private sector, with the goal of coordinating this project and developing new technologies that adopt knowledge and ideas from the private sector. According to the Defense Equipment Agency, the terms "aerocraft" and "aerocarrier" were used by managers recruited from the private sector.

The specific purpose of the "aerocarrier" and "aerocraft" is to handle space debris. Objects such as satellite fragments floating near Earth may collide with operational satellites.

Existing satellites can only operate on fixed orbits. The mechanism envisioned in this research involves "aerocraft" leaving the "aerocarrier" to move freely and clear space debris, then returning to the mother ship after the cleanup work is completed to await the next mission.

However, achieving this goal requires various technological support. There is a great deal of research work to be done, such as collision prevention control technology, devices required to control and adjust the attitude of the "aerocraft" and the mother ship, energy forms to power the devices, and equipment required for separation and docking between the mother ship and the "aerocraft."

The Ministry of Defense considers this research directly related to space security. The ability to clear space debris can also be used to protect Japanese satellites from attacks by "killer satellites" and other anti-satellite weapons. A responsible person explained: "At present, we have not considered using 'aerocraft' and others for defense equipment. Our announcement is merely a research 'entry point' to understand how feasible it really is." (Translated by Liu Lin)

Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7500845199497921087/

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