Japanese Navy ships. Japan, Navy: general information Japanese Navy today

Japan is a key player in the Pacific theater

Japanese Navy flag

On the Sunday before last, the Japanese Navy discovered two Chinese warships heading to the Pacific Ocean off the island of Okinawa. The ships were in international waters, but their proximity to Okinawa, where American and Japanese troops are stationed, worried Tokyo. Traditionally, state navies inform neighboring states in advance about the courses of their ships, especially if the ships must pass in close proximity to the borders of these states.

This is not the first time the Chinese Navy has broken tradition. Three months earlier, two Japanese warships, while patrolling off Okinawa, discovered a flotilla of Chinese ships, including two submarines. Then a Chinese helicopter flew over the Japanese ship, which forced Tokyo to issue an official protest.

Because of these and other incidents, China enjoys a reputation as a maritime aggressor in the region, where no neighbor dares to contradict it. No one, except, perhaps, Japan, which is gradually increasing its naval power. Despite the rapid development of the Chinese fleet, the US and Japanese navies still dominate in the Pacific region. According to the policy of the ruling Democratic Party of Japan, this advantage should be maintained.

Japanese Navy

The Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force has about 100 warships of the main classes, including 2 helicopter carriers, 18 submarines, 47 destroyers and frigates, 29 mine sweepers, 9 patrol ships and 9 landing ships with a total displacement of 432,000 tons; about 180 aircraft and 140 helicopters. The fleet personnel is 46,000 people.
In recent decades, China has focused on building large-displacement warships to replace hundreds of coastal patrol vessels. These destroyers, frigates and landing ships can operate far offshore. In addition, China is working on the former Soviet aircraft carrier Varyag, developing the DF-21 ballistic anti-ship missile and developing a satellite system.

Undoubtedly, China wants to be able to display its flag anywhere in the world. Another goal of the PRC is a show of force in border waters. But Beijing is not alone in pursuing a defensive strategy. Today's Japan is testing supersonic anti-ship missiles, the targets of which could well be Chinese ships. The island state has at its disposal the most modern non-nuclear submarines, which pose a danger to Chinese surface ships and submarines. In addition, Japan says it will expand its intelligence capabilities.

“China is developing means of preventing the United States from entering the region, but Japan is also doing the same in relation to China,” says Eric Wertheim, an independent military analyst and author of the popular book “The Battle Fleets of the World.”

Generally speaking, instability in the Pacific region poses a threat not only to the navies of the United States and China, but also to the navies of all states in general. According to Jim Thomas, an analyst at the Washington-based Center for a New American Security, the world is entering "an era that follows the era of military power projection." The naval strategies of states are becoming defensive in nature. And, despite the terrifying military potential of the PRC, in this light Japan looks more profitable. According to Wertheim, “the strategy of exclusion is more typical for Japan, the Japanese Navy is a more flexible and mobile force.”

This is evidenced by the fact that the Japanese Navy managed to detect Chinese ships last Sunday and in April. Japan's submarines, aircraft, satellites and surface ships are ready to track the movements of the Chinese Navy in order to transmit guidance data to Japanese or American units.

But Japan is ready not only to defend itself. The country has the potential to penetrate Chinese defenses, including intercepting DF-21 missiles. Japan's newest Kongo-class destroyers, some of the most powerful and modern ships in Asia, are equipped with radar and interceptor missiles capable of eliminating the threat of a ballistic missile attack. Kongo provides missile defense to the Japanese islands, but "these missile defense capabilities could also be used to protect American aircraft carriers in the event of hostilities," Wertheim said.

But does Japan intend to strengthen military cooperation with the United States? Last month, Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama announced his resignation after failing to fulfill a campaign promise to move the Futenma US military base outside Okinawa Prefecture. Hatoyama's successor in the post, Naoto Kan, avoids touching on this issue. In the event of a crisis that could flare up due to another incident at sea, such ambiguity in relations between Japan and the United States could have a bad impact on the interaction of the armed forces of the states.

However, according to Nicholas Zhechenyi, an analyst at the Washington Center for Strategic and International Studies, the Kahn government is moving in the right direction. “We are seeing an emphasis on the critical importance of the US-Japan alliance in light of the Chinese threat. Any development will be carried out in a bilateral context, perhaps through strategic dialogue between Japan and the US in the coming months,” the expert said.

Naval forces

As a result of Japan's defeat in World War II, its armed forces were disbanded. However, in 1950, the Japanese government, under the pretext of the need to maintain order in the country and with the consent of the American occupation authorities, created a “reserve police corps” of 75 thousand people. In August 1952, the "reserve police corps" was transformed into a "security corps". In 1953, its number increased to 110 thousand people.

In May 1954, in accordance with a specially adopted law, the so-called self-defense forces were created on the basis of the “security corps,” which were legally entrusted with the task of defending the country from an external enemy, as well as assisting the police in suppressing anti-government protests within the country.

Thus, contrary to the provisions of the Potsdam Declaration, the act of surrender and Article 9 of the 1947 Constitution, Japan laid the organizational foundations for the creation and build-up of national armed forces in the ground forces, air force and navy.

The Navy is a branch of Japan's armed forces. They are designed to solve problems of protecting sea communications, their naval bases, bases and ports, combating enemy naval groups, blockade of strait zones in the area of ​​the Japanese Islands, ensuring anti-amphibious defense and amphibious landings, organizing maritime transport in the interests of all armed forces as independently , and in interaction with other branches of the national armed forces and the US Armed Forces.

In peacetime, the Navy, in cooperation with the forces of the Maritime Security Department, carries out patrol service, takes measures to maintain a favorable operational regime in the adjacent waters, and ensures the protection of Japan's territorial waters.

The basis of the naval forces is made up of escort and submarine forces, as well as fleet aviation. An important component of the Navy is mine-sweeping and amphibious assault forces. The fleet has more than 110 warships, including 16 submarines, 100 basic patrol aircraft and over 100 combat helicopters.

Organizational structure of the Navy

The leadership of the naval forces is exercised by the commander (also the chief of staff) of the Navy (staff category - admiral). Subordinate to the commander are his deputy (staff category - vice admiral), inspector and chief physician of the Navy (staff category - rear admiral).

Organizationally, the structure of the naval forces includes: headquarters, fleet, five naval regions, aviation training command, as well as formations, units and institutions of central subordination - a squadron of training ships, a communications regiment, three departments: logistics logistics of the Navy, military police of the Navy, oceanography, central counterintelligence department of the Navy, Tokyo support battalion, hospitals (five), underwater medicine research laboratory, educational institutions (six), editorial and publishing department, Tokyo Navy Band.

Fleet

The Japanese fleet is headed by a commander (staff category - vice admiral), to whom are subordinate a headquarters, three commands (escort and submarine forces, aviation), a flotilla of minesweepers, a training and experimental group, a separate division of tank landing ships (TDK), as well as an information center and group Naval ACS maintenance.

The number of naval personnel exceeds 22,000 people, of which about 8,700 people are in the aviation command.

Fleet Headquarters(located in Yokosuka) is headed by the chief of staff (staff category rear admiral). Organizationally, the headquarters includes the following departments: operational, administrative, intelligence, communications, R&D, logistics, and inspector. The regular category of department heads is captain 1st rank.

Escort Forces Command headed by the commander (staff category - vice admiral). Organizationally, the command of the escort forces consists of a headquarters located in Yokosuka), a flagship, four (1-4) flotillas of destroyers, directly subordinate support ships (two combat training support ships and four universal supply transports).

The destroyer flotilla is headed by a commander (the staff category is a rear admiral) and includes a flotilla headquarters, a flagship and three divisions of destroyers (two or three ships in each). The organization of the flotilla is brought to the “8-8” structure, which determines the presence in its arsenal of eight ships and eight anti-submarine helicopters (a helicopter carrier destroyer with three submarines, five destroyers with one helicopter each and two guided missile destroyers capable of providing zonal air defense). The regular category of the chief of staff of a flotilla and division commanders is captain 1st rank.

The coastal headquarters of the 1st destroyer flotilla is located in Yokosuka, 2nd flotilla in Sasebo, 3rd flotilla in Maizuru, 4th flotilla in Kure. The naval personnel of the Fleet Escort Force Command are assigned to five Japanese naval bases.

The submarine force command is headed by a commander (the regular category is vice admiral). Organizationally, the command structure includes: headquarters (located in Yokosuka), a flagship, two (1,2) submarine flotillas, a submariner training center, a submarine training division (equipped with two submarines withdrawn from combat service).

The submarine flotilla organizationally includes a headquarters, a flagship (submarine mother ship), three submarine divisions (two or three submarines in each), and a base detachment. The standard category for commanders of flotillas, commanders of submarine divisions and base detachments is captain 1st rank. The headquarters of the 1st and 2nd flotillas are located in Kure and Yokosuka naval bases, respectively.

Air Command located on AVB Atsugi. Organizationally, the command structure includes: headquarters, seven air wings (1, 2, 4, 5, 21, 22, 31), three separate air squadrons (51,61,111th), as well as four detachments - two aircraft repair (1,2), air traffic control (AVB Atsugi) and civil engineering (AVB Hachinohe). The regular category of commander is vice admiral, chief of staff, air wing commanders are rear admiral, commanders of individual air squadrons, air traffic control detachment captain 1st rank, engineering and construction detachment captain 2nd rank.

The aviation wing includes a headquarters, two or three air squadrons (patrol, anti-submarine helicopters), two groups (engineering and aviation support and supply, airfield technical support). In addition, 4 acres additionally includes a separate air group on the island. Iwo Jima and the detachment on the island. Minamitorishima (Marcus Island). The number of personnel in the air wing is 1000-1500 people. The regular category of chiefs of staff of air wings, commanders of air squadrons and support groups is captain 1st rank.

The patrol air squadrons (two each of 1, 2, 4, 5 acres, one of 31 acres) are armed with 10 basic patrol aircraft R-ZS. The anti-submarine helicopter squadrons 21 acres (121, 124) and 22 acres (122, 123) have SH-60J helicopters (12 units each), and the 101 squadron 21 acres have HSS-2B helicopters (replaced by SH -60J). The 31st Airlift Wing (AfB Iwakuni) includes the 71st US-1A Seaplane Rescue Squadron and the 81st EW Aircraft Squadron (EP-3 and U-36A). The aircraft repair detachment is designed to carry out military repairs of aircraft.

Minesweeper flotilla organizationally unites the mine-sweeping forces of the fleet. The flotilla is headed by a commander (regular category - rear admiral). Organizationally, the structure of the flotilla includes: a headquarters, a flagship, five divisions of minesweepers (one naval and four base), two floating bases of minesweepers, as well as a mine-sweeping support detachment.

Training and experimental group consists of a headquarters (Yokosuka), a central naval training ground (Yokosuka), four centers: research centers for the combat use of weapons and military equipment, guided weapons, tactical simulators (two training ones - in Yokosuka and Sasebo), as well as five training detachments for training of naval specialists of junior officers, senior officers and enlisted personnel (1st detachment is located in Yokosuka, 2nd detachment in Kure, 3rd detachment in Sasebo, 4th detachment in Maizuru, 11th detachment in Etajima ) and the testing laboratory of ship weapons (Kagoshima). The division of experimental ships, which is based in the Yokosuka naval base, closes the test site. The training and experimental group is headed by a commander (regular category - rear admiral). The regular category of the chief of staff of the training and experimental group, heads of the training ground, laboratory, research and training centers (with the exception of the 11th training center, which is headed by a captain of the 2nd rank), a division of experimental ships is a captain of the 1st rank.

Separate division of tank landing ships includes tank landing ships of the Miura type, which are assigned to the naval base

Information Center(Yokosuka, Funakoshi town) organizationally includes a headquarters and three departments (operational information, information-analytical, electronic warfare). The center is engaged in the analysis of intelligence information, the preparation of information materials, and the planning of activities for the organization of naval radio and electronic intelligence. The regular category for the heads of the center and departments is captain 1st rank, the chief of staff is captain 2nd rank.

Naval ACS Maintenance Group(Yokosuka, Funakoshi Town) processes and issues information in the interests of senior management of the fleet and naval forces. Atsugi has a separate ACS maintenance unit. The standard category of group and detachment commanders is captain 1st rank.

Naval areas

The Japanese Navy has five operational-tactical formations called naval areas (Yokosuka, Kure, Sasebo, Maizuru and Ominato), each of which has an area of ​​responsibility. The area of ​​operational responsibility of the Yokosuka SMR includes the southern (from Mie Prefecture inclusive) and eastern (inclusive of Iwate Prefecture) coasts of the island. Honshu and the adjacent waters of the Pacific Ocean, as well as small islands in the Pacific Ocean belonging to Tokyo Prefecture, with the exception of. Okinotorishima; Kure IMR - Inland Sea of ​​Japan, the coasts of the islands of Shikoku and Honshu from Wakayama Prefecture to Ube, Yamaguchi Prefecture inclusive, coastal waters of the Pacific Ocean to the southern tip of the island. Kyushu (Oita and Miyazaki prefectures), as well as about. Okinotorishima; WMR Sasebo - western coast of the island. Honshu (Yamaguchi Prefecture); the western and southern parts of the Ryukyu and Kyushu islands with adjacent waters (including the Korea Strait); GMR Maizuru - northwestern coast of the island. Honshu (from Shimane Prefecture to Akita Prefecture inclusive) and the adjacent waters of the Sea of ​​Japan; VMR Ominato - the coast of the northern part of the island. Honshu (Aomori Prefecture) and all about. Hokkaido with the adjacent waters of the Sea of ​​Japan and Okhotsk, as well as the Pacific Ocean (including the La Perouse and Sangar straits).

The naval district is headed by a commandant (staff category - vice admiral), to whom, in addition to the main formations and units, the heads of naval bases (basing points), coastal units and services that provide basic support for ships and naval vessels are administratively subordinate.

Organizationally, the naval area includes: headquarters, one - three separate divisions of ships, a naval base, one - two bases (in the naval naval forces of Kure, Sasebo, Ominato), individual ships and vessels, as well as coastal units and services for various purposes - communications detachments, basic, medical, training (except for the Ominato navy), counterintelligence department, two supply bases (ships, ammunition), orchestra. In addition, the three naval regions (Kure, Sasebo and Ominato) have separate aviation units - squadrons of anti-submarine helicopters. The number of personnel of the Military Migration Service ranges from 2000 to 3000 people.

The Tsushima surface and underwater situation control center, designed to control the situation in the Korea Strait, is directly subordinate to the Commandant of the Navy Sasebo. The standard category of the head of the center is captain 1st rank. Subordinate to the center are the surface and underwater situation control points (KNPO) Kaminoshima, Shimonoshima and Iki (the regular category of point heads is captain 2nd rank).

In the Yokosuka naval area there is a separate base detachment on the island. Chichijima.

The formations and units that are part of the naval forces are intended to ensure defense and maintain the necessary operational regime in their areas of responsibility, protect water areas, organize control of the surface and underwater situation in the areas of responsibility,

The headquarters of the Navy is headed by the chief of staff (staff category - rear admiral). Subordinate to him are a deputy, supply and technical assistants, an inspector and a senior doctor. The VMR headquarters consists of three departments: administrative, operational, and financial. The regular category of department heads at naval military headquarters is captain 1st rank.

Separate divisions of ships. Each Navy has one or two divisions of escort ships (um, fr; two or three ships in each). The naval areas of Yokosuka and Maizuru also include a separate division of base minesweepers (three ships in each). The standard category for commanders of divisions of escort ships is captain 1st rank, commanders of divisions of base minesweepers are captain 3rd rank.

The naval base organizationally includes a headquarters, a coast guard detachment, a raid service, a group of divers, as well as individual base detachments stationed outside the base (Kure, Sasebo, Maizuru). KNPO points are limited to raid service. The regular category of the head of the base is captain 1st rank, the chief of staff of the naval base is captain 2nd rank.

The base point (at the Kure - Hanshin naval basin, at the Sasebo - Katsuren (Okinawa) and Shimonoseki naval basin, at the Ominato - Yoichi and Hakodate naval basin) includes a headquarters, a minesweeper division consisting of three ships (at the Yoichi basing point - a division of boats), several KNPO points individual ships and boats. In addition, PB Hanshin has a division of patrol boats, and PB Katsuren has a group of divers. The regular category of the chief of the PB is captain 1st rank (chief of the PB Hansin is a rear admiral), the chief of staff is captain 2nd rank.

A separate air squadron of anti-submarine helicopters consists of a headquarters, an aviation detachment, aviation engineering and airfield technical support detachments. The air squadron is armed with about 10 HSS-2B helicopters. In addition, a separate detachment of helicopters (2 S-61A, 1 OH-60) is available on the icebreaker Shirase (assigned to the Yokosuka naval base), based in Tateyama.

Naval Air Training Command

The Naval Aviation Training Command organizationally includes a headquarters (AvB Simofusa), three training aviation wings (Simofusa, aircraft YS-11T, P-ZS; Tokushima - TS-90, 11C-90; Otsuki - KM-2, T-5), 211 1st training helicopter squadron (HSS-2B, OH-6D helicopters). The regular category of the commander is vice admiral, the chief of staff is captain 1st rank.

A training aviation wing is similar in its organizational structure to a combat air wing: it includes a headquarters, one or two training aviation squadrons, two groups (aviation engineering support and supply, airfield technical support).

The Otsuki training acreage includes 221 squadrons, intended for initial training of cadets (there are no aircraft). The airfield technical support group is subordinated to a rescue squadron equipped with two UH-60J or S-61A helicopters. The standard category of an aviation wing commander and chief of staff is captain 1st rank, commanders of training air squadrons and groups are captain 2nd rank, captain 1st rank.

The possibility of placing a Pacific Fleet base on the island of Matua in the Kuril ridge increases the military presence on Sakhalin. Measures to strengthen our presence in the department are called “unprecedented.”

Few people know, but in 2012 Japan decided to change its military doctrine and turn its purely “peaceful” self-defense forces into an army, giving it an offensive character. Marine formations are being created for this purpose, among other things.

In light of such events, we suggest taking a closer look at their maritime segment.

War concept

If Russia, by the will of the ancient emperors, was spread out in a natural fortress, then fate destined Japan to gain a foothold in a natural outpost, which is difficult to capture, but from which there is nowhere to retreat.

Japan's ground forces are the last line of defense. They are built accordingly: the infantry is motorized, but not mechanized, the infantry divisions are barely diluted with tank squadrons. There is only one tank division in the entire country, one mechanized infantry division with infantry fighting vehicles and armored personnel carriers, and one artillery brigade - this is the striking fist of the Japanese army, designed to throw out the enemy landing forces from the islands.

The landing party that will survive the meeting with the Japanese fleet.

It is the fleet that bears the main task of protecting the Land of the Rising Sun. And since 2012 - and the protection of its interests in the disputed territory.

Fleet composition

Serves in the Navy 44.5 thousand people.

The Japanese build their ships at domestic shipyards, but their weapons are mostly foreign-made, mostly American. In cases where this is possible, they prefer not to purchase ready-made copies, but to organize their own production under license.

In this regard, the weapons on the ships are of the same type, corresponding to the era.

American art complex is almost always used as anti-aircraft artillery Mark 15 Phalanx CIWS or, more simply put, " Phalanx" This is a 20-mm six-barreled automatic cannon, capable of firing one and a half thousand hundred-gram bullets into the sky in 30 seconds. Two radars come to her aid. The complex was developed in the 1970s.

Anti-aircraft missile weapons

Anti-aircraft missile system ASMD. Actually, this is a carriage standing on the outer deck, or vertical modules hidden under the deck. In the first case there are 21 launch containers, in the second there are five cells per module. But the main thing is cruise missiles RIM-116A, capable of intercepting a target at a distance from 500 meters to 10 km and at an altitude of 4 meters. Development of the 70s.

Medium-range ship-to-air anti-aircraft missile RIM-162 ESSM with a semi-active homing head. The maximum range is about 50 km, and the flight speed is more than Mach 4. Used with MK.41 type VPU, 4 missiles per launch cell. Adopted into service in the States in 2004.

Short-range ship-to-air anti-aircraft guided cruise missile RIM-7 "Sea Sparrow". Developed back in the 60s, the key word when talking about this rocket is manually controlled.

Medium-range ship-to-air anti-aircraft guided missile Standard RGM-66 with a passive guidance head. More like museum pieces, these 1960s-era rockets sit on old Japanese ships. The new ones have the following series of missiles - "Standard 2", slightly less ancient things, but now with an inertial autopilot.

Vertical launcher Mk 41- a universal thing. It is installed below deck in containers, and its cells carry various missiles.

Anti-submarine weapons

Anti-submarine missiles RUM-139. They are placed in the Mk 41 VPU. The principle of the device is simple: fired - the rocket went into autonomous flight, turned off the engines at a given distance and dropped the torpedo by parachute. The torpedo splashed down, turned on its engines and went to ram the enemy. The maximum range is 28 km, developed in the 80s.

Anti-ship weapons

Anti-ship cruise missile RGM-84 "Harpoon". The ceiling is from 2 to 900 meters in height and 850 km/h speed, carries a high-explosive fragmentation warhead weighing 221 kg. Developed back in the 70s.

Anti-ship missile "Type 90". Japanese alternative to the Harpoon, adopted in 1992.

The pride of the Japanese fleet is a destroyer-helicopter carrier of the type "Izumo" rolled off the stocks in 2015. 248 meters of steel in length and 27 thousand tons of displacement. 14 helicopters, two powerful Phalanx launchers and two ASMD launchers. Electronic warfare system, radar. Instead of helicopters, the ship can carry 400 troops along with 50 vehicles up to 3 tons.

The Japanese can dissemble as much as they want, calling this ship a helicopter destroyer, but it is obvious to everyone that this light aircraft carrier is a symbol of the revival of the Japanese fleet.

And in 2017, another one will be completed, but according to rumors, with the ability to carry the F-35 Lightning II and MV-22 Osprey tiltrotors. You can’t be sure about the planes, but they actually planned to purchase tiltrotors for the nascent Marine Corps units.

Photo: Internet

Two destroyers-helicopter carriers of the Hyuga type, produced in 2009 and 2011. 13,950 tons displacement and a crew of 360 people.

12.7 mm machine gun, two Phalanx anti-aircraft gun mounts, sixteen RIM-162 anti-aircraft guns and twelve RUM-139 anti-submarine guns in the Mk 41 VPU. Two mounts of three 324 mm torpedo tubes. Eleven helicopters. Electronic warfare system, radar.

These guys can take care of themselves.

Photo: Internet

Shirane-class destroyer, launched in 1981. Displacement - 5200 tons. 159 meters long.

Two 127 mm guns. Armed with eight anti-submarine RUR-5 ASROKs and two installations of three 324-mm torpedo tubes. It is protected by eight Sea Sparrow missiles and Phalanx anti-aircraft gun mounts.

Carries three helicopters. The one year younger brother from the same series was written off back in 2014; how long this one has left is unknown.

Photo: Internet

Guided missile destroyers are represented in three series:

• Two Hatakaze-class destroyers built in the 1980s and displacing 4,600 tons. They still have the same two 127-mm guns, two Phalanx installations. Armed with anti-ship Harpoons and anti-submarine ASROKs, eight of each. Naturally, two torpedo launchers with 3 devices each. They are protected, if you can call it that, by anti-aircraft missiles « Standard" in the amount of 40 pieces. They have one helipad. No electronic warfare equipment was detected.

• Four Kongo-class destroyers built in the 90s and displacing 7,250 tons. Everything is the same, but due to the fact that the ship is larger, it was possible to stick as many as two Mk 41 VPUs into it - one on the bow with 29 cells and one on the stern with 61 cells. They already have Standard 2 anti-aircraft missiles (instead of Standard) and ASROK anti-submarine missiles. No electronic warfare equipment was found either.

• Two Atago-class destroyers built in the 2000s with a displacement of 7,750 tons. Here, instead of Harpoons, there are Japanese Type 90s. They also installed new HOS 302 torpedo tubes; the gun was left alone, but the barrel was lengthened. Plus, stealth technologies have been implemented, but there are still no electronic warfare systems. In addition to the helipad, a helicopter hangar was also built.

Photo: Internet

Destroyers of smaller displacement, up to 5 tons, are represented in five series. A total of 29 warships built from 1985 to 2014.

In fact, they are the same biting devils as Atago and Kongo, only small.

Accordingly, the older series have 8 Harpoon launchers, and the younger series have one Mk 41 VPU for a maximum of 32 cells. They contain anti-aircraft ESSMs and the same anti-ship "Type 90".

Photo: Internet

Six Abukuma-class frigates built from 1989 to 1993. Displacement 2 thousand tons. Armed with one 76.2 mm universal artillery mount from OTO Melara and one very familiar Phalanx anti-aircraft artillery mount. Plus eight Harpoon launchers, and six torpedoes.

Seventeen combat submarines of two series: "Oyashio" and "Soryu".

• Eleven Oyashio multipurpose submarines were built from 1994 to 2008. Underwater displacement 3 thousand tons. They are powered by two air-independent diesel-electric engines. It is armed with six 533-mm torpedo tubes. On board are either 20 torpedoes or the notorious Harpoon missiles, only now underwater-based.

• Seven Soryu multipurpose submarines have been built since 2005. At least four more submarines are planned. They differ from the previous series by an increased displacement - 4,200 tons in a submerged position, the presence of 30 torpedoes or missiles, and four Stirling engines installed instead of two conventional electric generators.

In addition, there are various support ships, 11 in number, including five landing ships.

• Seven missile boats;
• Eight landing craft;
• Twenty-five minesweepers;
• Auxiliary vessels.

Is this fleet strong?

Compared to ground forces, the Japanese fleet makes a much more impressive impression. This is a clearly thought-out and balanced instrument, tailored to local conditions, which is definitely a plus for the Japanese generals. It is better to bet more on someone who, having a smaller fleet, knows how to use it, than on the mediocrities at the head of even the largest squadron.

However, let's take a closer look.

Although Japanese helicopter carriers are increasing in size, losing accompanying weapons, they are not yet aircraft carriers.

Their field of application is anti-submarine warfare. Taking off helicopters spread out over tens of kilometers around, sanitizing the water column in search of hidden submarines. Having discovered it, they drop torpedoes or depth charges. The beauty is that the submarine has nothing to respond to from there, from the depths, and the helicopter carrier itself remains out of range of its torpedoes.

Moreover, if the new Izumo has only anti-aircraft weapons, then both ships of the Hyuga type have anti-submarine missiles and even torpedo tubes. A very reasonable tactic, considering that the North Korean submarine fleet numbers a hundred units.

These ships are completely designed to fight submarines or support the Marine Corps.

Four Kongo-class destroyers and two Atago-class destroyers, among various weapons, also carry anti-ship missiles, but only on the Atago they are not the ancient Harpoons, but the Type 90, which was put into service in 1990.

Of the 29 small destroyers, only 18 are modern ships, the rest are two series, one of which has already been almost completely decommissioned, and the other, Asagiri, is preparing for decommissioning.

All other ships are approaching the title of “old trough”.

And the Japanese understand this, promptly decommissioning old and inefficient ships and launching a series of new ones.

The Chinese fleet, compared to the Japanese one, gives the impression of a Chinese bazaar, but the number of ships still dominates. There are already 12 destroyers with a displacement of more than 6 thousand tons built in the new century alone, and two more are undergoing sea trials. There are 43 different frigates, most of which were launched no later than the 90s.

The Japanese submarine fleet is also seriously inferior to the Chinese.

Comparing Japan's maritime self-defense forces with the Russian fleet is an interesting task, but for a separate article. However, you know its capabilities...

The Japanese fleet is often called the second in the Pacific region, perhaps this is true. But only after American, Russian and Chinese.

The Japanese fleet is a successful tool for protecting the island state, but nothing more.

Photo: Missile cruiser Varyag

Photo: Missile submarine "Vladimir Monomakh"

In 1945, when the combined Allied forces occupied Japan at the end of World War II, its Imperial Navy ceased to exist. The navy was only re-established in the country in 1952 as a maritime self-defense force.

The Navy is part of the Japan Self-Defense Forces as an independent branch of the armed forces. In wartime, they are entrusted with the following main tasks:

• conducting combat operations against enemy naval and aviation groups with the aim of gaining dominance in the sea and ocean waters adjacent to the coast of the Japanese Islands;
• implementing a blockade of the strait zones of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk, Japan and East China;
• protection of maritime communications, defense of naval bases, bases, ports and coasts;
• conducting amphibious landing operations and providing support to ground forces in coastal areas.

In peacetime, along with combat training, the Navy is engaged in the protection of Japanese territorial waters, maintaining a favorable operational regime in the 1000-mile ocean zone and performing patrol duty in cooperation with the forces of the Maritime Security Administration (MSD).

The number of personnel of the Japanese Navy currently reaches 45.6 thousand people. In addition, the reserve components of the fleet include the permanent reserve (1,100 people), which is composed of volunteers released from military service due to length of service and upon expiration of the contract, as well as the UBM (over 12,000 people).

According to the Japanese constitution, self-defense forces, including naval ones, cannot have offensive weapons (aircraft carriers, cruise missiles, etc.). However, the military-political Japan is already cramped within the framework established following the Second World War. Territorial disputes with its neighbors - China and Russia - are pushing Japan to create a full-fledged Navy, equipped with all types of modern weapons (although the Japanese leadership is trying in every possible way to disguise this fact). Currently, there is an intensive expansion and renewal of the Japanese Navy's naval personnel, the introduction of modern weapons and equipment of American production or unified with the US Navy in service.

STRUCTURE OF THE JAPANESE NAVY.

The leadership of the Japanese naval forces is carried out by the commander (at the same time he is the chief of staff of the Navy) with the rank of admiral. Organizationally, the Japanese Navy includes headquarters, fleet, five naval regions (BMP), air training command, as well as formations, units and institutions of central subordination.

Naval Headquarters is located in Tokyo in a common administrative complex with the Ministry of Defense and the headquarters of the ground forces and air force. The staff size of the headquarters is about 700 people, of which up to 600 are admirals and officers.

Fleet includes: headquarters (at Yokosuka naval base), three commands (escort, submarine forces and aviation), as well as a flotilla of minesweepers, three groups (oceanography, reconnaissance and experimental) and a special purpose patrol detachment. The naval composition of the fleet includes more than 100 warships, including 16 diesel submarines (submarines), 44 destroyers (destroyers), eight frigates (FR), seven landing ships (AD) and up to 30 mine-sweeping ships (MTK). The staff category of the fleet commander is vice admiral.

Command escort forces (commanding vice admiral) is represented by headquarters (at Yokosuka naval base), a flagship, four flotillas of destroyers (based at Yokosuka, Sasebo, Maizuru and Kure naval bases), six separate divisions of destroyers/frigates, separate divisions of landing ships, supply transports and combat training support ships, as well as a training group. The commander of each flotilla (rear admiral) is subordinate to the headquarters and two divisions of destroyers (four ships each) of two types. The first type division includes: a destroyer-helicopter carrier (EMV), a guided missile destroyer (USD) and two destroyers, the second - a guided missile destroyer and three destroyers.

Individual divisions include from two to five ships (vessels). Ships of a destroyer (frigate) division are, as a rule, based in the same base. Vessels of the supply transport division are assigned to various bases. A separate division of landing ships includes landing helicopter dock ships of the Osumi type, based in the Kure naval base, as well as a division of hovercraft landing boats (six units).

The training group consists of a headquarters (Yokosuka naval base), a guided weapons training center and five training detachments (at the bases of Yokosuka, Kure, Sasebo, Maid-zuru, Ominato).

The Submarine Forces Command (commander's official grade is vice admiral) has a headquarters (at Yokosuka Naval Base), two submarine flotillas (based at Kure and Yokosuka Naval Bases), a training division, and a submariner training center. Subordinate to the commander of each flotilla (rear admiral) are: the headquarters, the submarine mother ship as the flagship, two or three submarine divisions (three to four submarines each) and the base detachment.

Air Command is located at Atsugi Air Base. Its structure includes: headquarters, seven air wings (1, 2, 4, 5, 21, 22 and 31), three separate air squadrons (51, 61 and 111), as well as three detachments - two aircraft repair (1- y and 2nd), air traffic control (AvB Atsugi) and a mobile engineering company (AvB Hachinohe). The staff category of the commander vice admiral, chief of staff and air wing commanders is rear admiral.

An aviation wing includes a headquarters, one to four air squadrons (patrol, anti-submarine helicopters, search and rescue and electronic warfare), an aviation engineering support and supply group, as well as a group (or groups according to the number of airfields the wing is based in) of airfield technical support. In addition, the 31st Airlift Wing is subordinate to a detachment of unmanned aerial vehicles used as targets.

An aviation squadron includes one to three aviation and technical detachments. The patrol air squadrons (one each consisting of 1, 2, 4 and 5 acres) are armed with the basic R-ZS Orion patrol aircraft. The anti-submarine helicopter squadrons (21, 23 and 25th in 21 acres and 22nd and 24th in 22 acres) are equipped with SH-60J and SH-60K helicopters. The search and rescue squadrons (73rd at 21 acres, 72nd at 22 acres) include three search and rescue detachments (three UH-60J helicopters each). The 31st Airlift Wing (Iwakuni Air Base) includes the 71st seaplane rescue squadron (US-1A, US-2) and two electronic warfare squadrons (81st and 91st), equipped with EP-3, UP-3D electronic warfare aircraft and U-36A, as well as reconnaissance OR-ZS.

Separate aviation squadrons (51st test, 111th minesweeper helicopters and 61st transport), according to their purpose, solve the problems of conducting flight tests of Navy aircraft, participate in the operations of mine sweeping forces, as well as in activities for airlifting personnel composition and cargo.

The flotilla of minesweepers is headed by a commander (rear admiral). Organizationally, it includes: a headquarters, four divisions (one - sea minesweepers and three - base), two MTK floating bases, as well as a mine-sweeping support detachment. Each division includes two or three ships.

The experimental group (the full-time category of commander is rear admiral) organizationally consists of a headquarters (Yokosuka), a division of experimental ships, three centers - the development and design of ships, communication and control systems, an automated control system for naval aviation, as well as a testing laboratory for ship weapons (has a Kagoshima test site) .

The oceanographic group includes a headquarters, an anti-submarine defense center, a meteorological support group, two coastal sonar stations (Katsuren on Okinawa Island and Odanosawa on Honshu Island), as well as hydrographic, long-range sonar observation and cable-laying vessels assigned to the Yokosuka and Kure naval bases.

The reconnaissance group is represented by a headquarters and three departments (operational information, information-analytical and electronic intelligence). The group's personnel are engaged in collecting and analyzing intelligence information, preparing information reports, and planning activities for the organization of naval radio and electronic intelligence.

The special-purpose patrol detachment performs the functions of detaining and inspecting vessels that violate national territorial waters, combating sabotage and reconnaissance groups and terrorists, and can also be used for reconnaissance and sabotage operations. The detachment stationed on the island. Etajima, includes a headquarters, three combat (two squads each) and one training platoon.

NAVAL AREAS AND BASED POINTS

There are a total of five BMPs in the Japanese Navy (Kure, Sasebo, Ominato, Yokosuka and Maizuru). The naval district is headed by a commandant (the staff category is vice admiral). The forces that make up the BMP are designed to solve the following tasks: security and defense of bases, bases, ports and water areas; patrol duty; maintaining operational mode; control over the surface and underwater situation (CNPO); participation in the blockade of strait zones; logistics support.

In addition to the main formations and units, the commandant of the BMP is administratively subordinate to the heads of naval bases (basing points), coastal units and services that provide basic maintenance of ships and vessels of the Navy.

Organizationally, the naval area includes: headquarters, a naval base, one or two bases (in BMP Kure, Sasebo and Ominato), coastal units and services for various purposes, including two base ones (in BMP Yokosuka and Ominato), medical and training (except BMP Ominato) detachments, as well as two base points (ship maintenance and ammunition supply). A separate division of base minesweepers, individual ships and vessels are subordinate to the BMP commandant.

Naval bases (naval bases) are designed to maintain a favorable operational regime in their assigned operational zones, support, base and restore the combat effectiveness of fleet forces, and protect navigation in the adjacent waters. The naval base organizationally includes a headquarters, a coast guard detachment, a raid service and a group of divers. The Maizuru and Sasebo naval bases additionally have one division of missile boats and a separate base detachment, the Yokosuka naval base has a KNPO station, and the Kure naval base has a separate base detachment.

Base points (BP) are distributed among naval areas (in BMP Kure - Hanshin, in BMP Sasebo - Katsuren, Okinawa Island, and Shimonoseki, in BMP Ominato - Ieichi and Hakodate). Each of them includes a headquarters, a minesweeper division consisting of three ships (in the Ieiti PB - a division of boats), a KNPO station (in the Hanshin PB, Shimonoseki, Hakodate), individual ships and boats.

The base detachment deals with issues of construction, household support, supplies, and vehicles within the naval area. Separate base detachments solve the problem of providing infrastructure for the basing and deployment of fleet forces.

The medical detachment is designed to provide medical care and support to BMP personnel. The training detachment conducts primary military training and training of recruits in specialties.

The base ship maintenance facility is responsible for the repair and maintenance of ships and other naval equipment.

The basic ammunition supply point organizes the supply, storage, maintenance and distribution of ammunition.

The Naval Aviation Training Command organizationally includes a headquarters (AvB Simofusa), three training aviation wings (at the Simofusa Air Base - R-ZS, YS-11T aircraft; Tokushima - TS-90, UC-90; Otsuki - T-5) and the 211th helicopter training squadron (SH-60J, OH-6D helicopters). The staff category of commander is vice admiral.

Formations, units and institutions of central subordination include:

• a squadron of training ships, the commander of which (rear admiral) is subordinate to the headquarters (at Yokosuka naval base), the flagship and the 1st division of training ships (Kure naval base);
• the Navy logistics department, organizationally consisting of headquarters, naval (Yokosuka naval base) and air (AvB Kisarazu) supply bases, is responsible for procurement planning (except for centralized supplies), receipt, storage and distribution of supplies;
• a communications brigade, including a headquarters, a central automated control and communications detachment, an automated control and communications security detachment, a mobile communications detachment (provides radio relay and satellite communications) and five communications detachments of naval areas;
• Navy Military Police Department (Tokyo), which includes three departments and has six military police detachments under its command (in the ports and bases of Tokyo, Yokosuka, Kure, Sasebo, Maizuru and Ominato);
• Tokyo Support Battalion, designed to serve central institutions and naval units located in Tokyo;
• Underwater Medicine Research Laboratory, located at Yokosuka Naval Base and consisting of five departments - administrative, 1st, 2nd and 3rd test, education and personnel training;
• educational institutions, hospitals, the editorial and publishing department of the Navy (located in the Navy headquarters building and deals with issues of editing, censorship, publication and distribution of naval publications), as well as the combined orchestra of the Navy (Tokyo).

The Maritime Security Directorate (MSD), headed by the Commandant, is a paramilitary force. In peacetime, the UBM is subordinate to the Ministry of Public Lands and Transport and is intended to carry out patrol service in strait zones, protect territorial waters and the economic zone of Japan, hydrographic and navigation support, combat crime and terrorism, provide assistance to those in distress at sea, conduct oceanographic research and conducting reconnaissance.

In wartime, the UBM becomes subordinate to the Navy and, in addition to performing the above tasks, ensures the maintenance of the operational regime and monitoring of the air and sea situation in the coastal zone, the protection of ports, harbors, roadsteads, the performance of patrol duty, the protection of coastal sea communications, emergency rescue operations, and also participates in laying minefields in strait zones (as necessary).

The UBM includes a central office (Tokyo), 11 maritime security districts (in the ports of Otaru, Shiogama, Yokohama, Nagoya, Hanshin, Hiroshima, Kitakyushu, Maizuru, Niigata, Kagoshima, Naha), 68 departments (in major ports), 62 branches (in small port cities) and has 14 air bases, security centers, maritime rescue, the Loran radio navigation system, countering international criminal groups, logistics, national rapid response units "Strike", seven maritime traffic control centers, 11 navigation transmission stations information, two hydrographic observation stations and three hydrographic observatories. The UBM ship composition includes over 100 large (displacement over 1000 tons) and medium-sized (less than 1000 tons) patrol ships, about 230 patrol boats and over 100 auxiliary vessels and boats. The aviation component of the control is represented by almost 30 aircraft and 50 helicopters.

JAPANESE NAVY STAFF

The Japanese Navy includes more than 100 warships and auxiliary vessels of various classes and types.

The submarine forces of the Japanese fleet currently have:

Diesel submarine "Soryu"

4 multi-purpose diesel-electric Harusio(designed in the 80s, built 1991-1995), surface displacement - 2450 tons. Speed ​​(surface/underwater) - 12/20 knots. Armament - 6 bow 533-mm TA, ammunition - 20 torpedoes or Sub-Harpoon anti-ship missiles, sea mines. Crew – 75 people. A total of 7 boats of this series were built, currently 3 have been withdrawn from the fleet. They are considered relatively obsolete and will be replaced by newer types first.

11 Oyashio-class diesel-electric submarines(built 1998-2008) - a modernized submarine based on the Harushio, displacement - 2750 tons. The submarine's hull is made using rubber noise-absorbing elements. Due to the installation of onboard sonars, the Oyashio submarine is somewhat larger than the previous type. Speed ​​– 12/20 knots. Armament and ammunition are similar to the Harushio type. Crew – 70 people.

3 diesel-electric submarines "Soryu"(built 2009-2011). Surface displacement 2900 tons. Armament is the same as the two previous types. As the main distinguishing feature of the Soryu-class submarines, it should be noted that they are equipped with a power plant consisting of two diesel engines and an air-independent installation (four Stirling engines with electric generators), which made it possible to increase the time the submarine remained continuously submerged. Surface speed increased to 13 knots. The crew has been reduced to 65 people.

After modernization, two Harushio-class submarines (“Hayashio” and “Asashio”) were reclassified as training submarines.

In terms of their tactical and technical characteristics, Japanese submarines meet modern requirements. Japanese production capacity allows for the construction of one new submarine per year. Accordingly, every year one new boat enters the fleet, and one obsolete one is put into reserve and written off after about a year.

Eminets URO "Atago"

The main and most numerous class of surface combat ships (SC) in the fleet are destroyers (44 ships of 11 types). By the way, destroyers and frigates in the Japanese Navy are called “escort ships” for political reasons).

Among them are the following.

8 guided missile destroyers, including the obsolete "Hatakaze" type (2 units, built in the mid-1980s) and modern types "Atago" (2 units) and "Kongo" (4 units, standard displacement 7250 tons, similar to the American EM URO project "Orly Burke", built in 1993-1998), equipped with a multifunctional weapon control system "Aegis", the same as that installed on ships of the navies of NATO countries and allows for collective air and missile defense of the ship group. This system ensures the effective use of weapons available on the ship, including Standard missile defense systems, anti-ship missiles, and ASROC anti-submarine guided missiles.

The features of the “Atago” type in comparison with the “Congo” type include: a displacement increased by 450 tons, the presence of a helicopter hangar for SH-60J and -60K helicopters, and the total number of vertical launch unit (VL) cells increased from 90 to 96. The ship's armament includes two Mk 41 UVP (bow with 64 cells and stern with 32 cells) for firing Standard missiles and ASROC anti-ship missiles, two four-container launchers (PU) of SSM-1B anti-ship missiles, two three-tube HOS-302 TA , 127-mm gun mount (AU) Mk 45 mod. 4, two 20-mm anti-aircraft artillery systems (ZAK) "Phalanx" Mk 15 Block 1B.

Congo-class guided missile destroyer DD-175 "Mioko"

In the interests of creating a naval missile defense component, in the period from 2005 to 2010, destroyers of the Atago and Kongo types were modernized with the improvement of the Aegis MSAD and equipping them with Standard-3 anti-missiles mod. 1A and then mod. 2 and 2A (jointly developed by Japan and the USA). In practice, this means that Japanese destroyers of new types have “learned” how to shoot down ballistic missiles and warheads at extra-atmospheric altitudes.

32 destroyers four types: “Hatsuyuki” (10 units, transferred to the fleet in 1982-1987), “Asagiri” (8 units, introduced into the fleet in 1988-1991, of which two were part of a squadron of training ships), “ Murasame" (9 units) and "Takanami" (5 units).

Murasame-class destroyers were introduced into service with the Navy in 1996-2002. They are designed to provide anti-submarine and air defense for formations of surface ships, escort convoys and landing forces, combat enemy surface ships and protect territorial waters. The ships' armament includes: UVP Mk 48 (16 cells) for the Sea Sparrow missile defense system, UVP Mk 41 (16 cells) for the ASROC anti-ship missile system, two quadruple anti-ship missile launchers SSM-1B type 90 of national production, one 76-mm AU "OTO" Melara", two 20-mm ZAK "Falanx" Mk 15, two three-pipe TA. At the stern of the ship there is a helicopter hangar and a platform for one anti-submarine helicopter.

More modern Takanami-class destroyers (five) were transferred to the fleet in 2003-2006. In order to reduce the cost of construction, they were developed on the basis of and generally repeat the Murasame EM project. The main differences between these destroyers and the basic design are the composition of the weapons and their layout. Thus, one universal UVP Mk 41 (32 cells) is used, designed to fire both the Improved Sea Sparrow and ASROC anti-aircraft missiles, as well as the 127-mm OTO Melara AU. The armament also includes two quadruple anti-ship missile launchers SSM-1B type 90; two 20-mm ZAK "Falanx" Mk 15 and two three-pipe TA HOS-302. At the stern there is a helipad and a hangar for an anti-submarine helicopter.

2 destroyer-helicopter carrier "Sirane"(built 1979-1980). These ships are largely obsolete. They were created primarily for anti-submarine defense, and therefore have an impressive air group. They are the only class of destroyers in the world capable of carrying three helicopters. Displacement - 5200 tons. Armament includes naval artillery: 2 127-mm Mk-42 artillery guns; Air defense: 2x6 ZAK Mark 15 Phalanx CIWS, 1x8 Sea Sparrow missiles; anti-submarine weapons: 8 ASROC anti-submarine missiles in Mk 112 installation; torpedoes: 2x3 324 mm TA Mk 32; air group: 3 SH-60J SeaHawk helicopters.

Previously, the Japanese Navy had two more helicopter-carrying destroyers - the Haruna series, but these ships have now been decommissioned.

2 helicopter destroyers(according to another version - an aircraft carrier-helicopter carrier) of the Hyuga type. The first ship of the series was introduced into the fleet in March 2009, the second in March 2011. This is a very “cunning” ship. We'll tell you why a little later. EMW "Hyuga" is the largest warship of the Japanese Navy (standard displacement 13,500 tons, length 195 m, width 32.4 m). Has a continuous flight deck.

EMV "Hyuga" - schematic side and top view

Official Japanese sources characterize the possible composition of this ship's air wing differently, which is why there is often confusion. According to the Japanese command, this ship is capable of 4 anti-submarine helicopters or 11 large transport helicopters of the Chinook type, which is obvious nonsense, because. an air wing of 11 Chinooks is roughly the size of 18 smaller aircraft, including anti-submarine helicopters. Apparently, politics is preventing the Japanese from revealing the true characteristics and purpose of the Hyuga. The truth is that in fact the Hyuga is nothing more than a mini-aircraft carrier, similar in size and layout to the British Invincible, which can carry an air wing of 22 aircraft (helicopters and vertical take-off fighters). It is obvious that the capabilities of the Hyuga-class ships go far beyond the transport of four helicopters. Most likely, the Hyuga is capable of carrying a mixed wing of 18 aircraft, which, in addition to helicopters of various types, may also include carrier-based vertical take-off fighters, such as the Harrier II or the more modern F-35B. The latter, however, still exist in experimental test versions, and will be launched into series only in 2016. There is information that the Japanese are very interested in purchasing the F-35B, but these aircraft are still prohibited for export outside the United States. Thus, the Hyugas, while formally remaining “defensive” ships, were clearly built with an eye toward becoming fully “offensive” aircraft carriers in the future. Hence the confusion with the composition of the air wing.

In addition to the air wing, ships of the Hyuga type have destroyer weapons: UVP Mk 41 (16 cells) for ASROC anti-aircraft missiles and Advanced Sea Sparrow missiles, two three-tube HOS-ZOZ TA, two 20-mm Phalanx Mk 15 Block anti-aircraft artillery systems 1B, four 12.7 mm machine guns.

6 Abukuma-class guided missile frigates with a displacement of 2000 tons, the construction of which was completed in 1993. These ships are equipped with the Harpoon anti-ship missile system, ASROC anti-ship missile, 76-mm AU, Phalanx ZAK, and two three-pipe TA.

Landing ships are represented by landing helicopter dock ships (DVKD), as well as small landing ships (SDK) of the "Yura" type. In the Japanese Navy, landing ships are called "transport ships."

DVKD LST-4001 "Osumi"

3 DVKD type "Osumi" with a standard displacement of 8900 tons, they have a relatively large landing capacity and can carry two air-cushion boats (LCAC) as landing craft.

2 MDK The Yura types have a standard displacement of 590 tons and are capable of transporting up to four vehicles and 70 marines. Also available 2 landing boats of project 1 displacement 420 tons.

The mine sweeping forces of Japan include 3 sea minesweepers of the Yaeyama type, 1 minelayer of the Muroto type and 2 floating minesweeper bases of the Muraga type, 25 mine sweeping boats of various projects (Hirashima, Hatsushima, Uwajima ", "Sugashima"). The minesweepers are armed with contact, acoustic and electromagnetic trawls, remote-controlled mine action devices and mine-search hydroacoustic stations.

Combat boats are few in number and represented 6 Hayabusa-class missile boats(built in 2002-2004, with a displacement of 200 tons), armed with four SSM-1B anti-ship missiles and a 76-mm OTO Melara AU.

In addition, the Japanese Navy includes auxiliary vessels: sea tankers, training ships and submarines, rescue ships and UAV target control ships.

The Navy's aviation fleet includes about 170 aircraft and 130 helicopters for various purposes, including about 90 R-ZS Orion anti-submarine aircraft, ER-3, UP-3D, U-36A electronic warfare aircraft, OR-ZS reconnaissance aircraft, over 90 anti-submarine helicopters SH-60J K, 10 minesweeper helicopters MH-53E and MSN-101, as well as auxiliary aircraft and helicopters.

EQUIPMENT

Recruitment of the Navy is carried out on the basis of the Law “On Self-Defense Forces” by selecting volunteers through a system of mobilization bodies. Recruitment issues are handled by the personnel and training department of the naval headquarters and the personnel department of the headquarters of naval areas. Men and women between the ages of 18 and 23 who are Japanese citizens, have a high school education, are physically fit, and have passed a security check are accepted for service. The duration of active service under the primary contract is three years. In addition, there is a system for training technical specialists from among volunteer youth aged 15 to 17 years with a nine-year education. Persons in this category enter into a primary contract for a period of up to four years. After its expiration, those wishing to continue serving can take an exam for the right to move to the category of senior officers.

Enlisted personnel are trained in training detachments included in the BMP Yokosuka, Kure, Sasebo and Maizuru (training course is three months). For certain specialties, selected sailors are sent for additional training to technical schools located in the cities of Yokosuka, Maizuru, Shimofusa and Etajima (training period from ten weeks to a year).

Petty officers are trained at the junior school (training period is four years), at training courses at technical schools (three months) and in training detachments (two years). The most prepared petty officers with the rank of chief petty officer are sent to a monthly course for midshipmen or to an officer candidate school (six months).

The officer training program includes four stages: initial training, training of command and engineering personnel at junior and middle levels, then senior and senior levels, and finally, the stage of improving qualifications during combat training in formations and units.

Primary training of officers is carried out at military and military medical schools (training duration is four and six years, respectively), as well as at the Navy Officer Candidate School (from six months to a year). Graduates of the latter receive the initial officer rank and undergo an internship during a training voyage lasting eight months. After graduating from college, depending on the complexity of their chosen profession, they undergo additional training (from five weeks to a year) in technical educational institutions, centers and institutes. During their service, almost all officers attend retraining courses for mid-level officers at military educational institutions for a year.

Senior command and engineering personnel are trained at the Naval Command and Staff College (training period is one year), where there are also one-year higher officer courses, and senior command personnel are trained at the Joint Staff Command and Staff College.

In the process of operational and combat training, special attention is paid to improving the interaction of formations and units of the Navy with the ground forces and air force, as well as with the US Armed Forces. As part of joint operational formations, the country's navies practice participation in operations to defend Japan and ensure maritime security, as well as conduct peacekeeping, humanitarian, rescue and other operations outside the national territory. At the same time, the most important activities of the OBP are the Cayenne, Mainex, Asvex maneuvers, as well as joint exercises with the Maritime Safety Department to detain and search ships.

PROSPECTS FOR CONSTRUCTION OF THE JAPANESE NAVY

The long-term prospects for the construction of the Japanese Navy are determined by the National Defense Program. In order to increase the ability to repel external aggression independently, together with other branches of the country's armed forces and the US Armed Forces, to protect remote island territories and important ocean (sea) communications, plans are being implemented to further increase the combat power of the Navy by updating the naval personnel and aviation fleet, as well as improving the organizational structure of the fleet. When equipping ships with new anti-ship missiles, anti-ship missile systems, air defense systems and anti-aircraft artillery systems, priority is given to the purchase of nationally developed military equipment. Recently, the creation (together with the United States) and deployment of the naval component of the national missile defense system has been accelerated. According to foreign press reports, about $10 billion were allocated for the development of the Navy in the 2009 fiscal year.

During the development of the Navy, the main attention is expected to be paid to surface (“escort”) forces. In particular, the construction of a new type of destroyers with a standard displacement of 5000 tons is underway, created on the basis of the Takanami EM. It is also planned to continue the construction of Hyuga-class ships, which can also serve as control ships.

This year it is planned to complete the modernization of the air defense systems on the Takanami and Murasame types, providing for the possibility of using the Advanced Sea Sparrow ESSM (RIM-162) missiles. Joint R&D with the United States continues to create the Standard-3 anti-missile missile, mod. 2A of the naval component of the missile defense system.

With the commissioning of a new type of destroyers, it is possible for escort force flotillas to switch to the “10 - 10” organizational structure (ten destroyers - ten helicopters).

In the interests of developing submarine forces, the construction of a series of Soryu-class submarines will continue. Funds have been allocated for the construction of four such boats.

Improving mine-sweeping forces involves the construction of basic minesweepers of the Hirashima type. As new MTKs become available, minesweepers of obsolete types (Hatsushima and Uwajima) will be withdrawn from the fleet and placed at the disposal of commandants of naval areas.

It is planned to update the fleet of anti-submarine helicopters through the supply of SH-60K helicopters. Flight testing of the new nationally developed R-1 basic patrol aircraft has begun. To replace the R-ZS aircraft, it is planned to produce about 60 aircraft of this type.

In general, the implementation of the planned plans for the construction of the Japanese Navy is intended to ensure an increase in its combat capabilities and readiness to solve the entire range of tasks, including as part of the maritime segment of the missile defense system.

The rapid strengthening of the Japanese Navy is an alarming signal for Russia, to which Japan has long been making claims over a number of strategically important islands, the so-called “northern territories.” If you look at the ship composition of the Pacific Fleet, what is striking is the fact that the average age of the main types of ships is more than 20 years, while the Japanese are constantly introducing new ships into their fleet. Already, the Japanese Navy has an advantage over the Pacific Fleet, at least in terms of surface ships. Given the capabilities of the US 7th Fleet, which guarantees the security of Japan, Japanese superiority becomes absolute. And what will happen when the “helicopter carriers” “Hyuga”, through the efforts of the Japanese military-political leadership, turn into aircraft carriers? The only trump card of the Pacific Fleet is the presence of nuclear weapons, but it is not a fact that in the event of limited aggression against Russia there will be a command to use them. And the Japanese, at the current level of development of their technology, are separated from the creation of nuclear weapons only by political considerations. As soon as the order from the military-political leadership of the country arrives, it will be created very quickly. Without modernization of the Pacific Fleet, especially surface attack ships, Russia risks receiving a slap in the face similar to the one it received in the 1904-1905 war. History repeating itself?..

(According to the article by captain 2nd rank D. ALEXEEV, "ZVO")

“I will die on the deck of the Nagato, and by that time Tokyo will have been bombed 3 times.”
- Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto

The defeat of Japan in World War II seems so natural that there cannot be any options or discrepancies. The total superiority of the United States in natural, human and industrial resources, multiplied by a powerful economy and a high level of scientific development - in such conditions, America's victory in the war was only a matter of time.

If everything is extremely obvious about the general reasons for the defeat of the Japanese Empire, then the purely technical side of naval battles in the Pacific is of genuine interest: the Imperial Japanese Navy, once one of the most powerful fleets in the world, perished under the blows of numerically superior enemy forces. He died in terrible agony, suffering and agony. The armor warped, rivets flew out, the plating burst, and streams of gushing water collided in a roaring whirlpool on the decks of the doomed ship. The Japanese fleet was going into immortality.

However, before their tragic death, the Japanese sailors scored a number of striking victories. “Second Pearl Harbor” off Savo Island, a pogrom in the Java Sea, a daring aircraft carrier raid into the Indian Ocean...

As for the famous attack on the Pearl Harbor naval base, the role of this operation is largely exaggerated by American propaganda: the US leadership needed to unite the nation in the face of the enemy. Unlike the Soviet Union, where every child understood that a terrible war was taking place on the territory of his own country, the United States had to fight a naval war on foreign shores. This is where the tale of the “terrible attack” on an American military base comes in handy.

Memorial on the hull of the lost Arizona (the battleship was launched in 1915)

In reality, Pearl Harbor was a complete failure of Japanese carrier-based aviation - the entire "success" was the sinking of four decrepit World War I battleships (two of which were raised and restored by 1944). The fifth damaged battleship, Nevada, was refloated and returned to service by the summer of 1942. In total, as a result of the Japanese raid, 18 US Navy ships were sunk or damaged, while a significant part of the “victims” escaped with only cosmetic defects.

At the same time, not a single bomb fell on:

Power plant, ship repair facilities, port cranes and mechanical workshops. This allowed the Yankees to begin restoration work within an hour after the end of the raid.

Giant dry dock 10/10 for repairing battleships and aircraft carriers. The unforgivable mistake of Japanese carrier-based aircraft would become fatal in all subsequent battles in the Pacific: with the help of their superdock, the Americans would restore damaged ships in a matter of days.

4,500,000 barrels of oil! The tank capacity of the US Navy refueling station at Pearl Harbor at that time exceeded the entire fuel reserves of the Imperial Japanese Navy.

Fuel, hospitals, berths, ammunition storage facilities - Japanese pilots “donated” the entire infrastructure of the base to the US Navy!

There is a legend about the absence of two US Navy aircraft carriers from Pearl Harbor on the day of the attack: they say, if the Japanese had sunk the Lexington and the Enterprise, the outcome of the war could have been different. This is an absolute misconception: during the war years, the US industry delivered 31 aircraft carriers to the fleet (many of which did not even have to participate in battles). Had the Japanese destroyed all aircraft carriers, battleships and cruisers in Pearl Harbor, along with Pearl Harbor and the Hawaiian Islands, the outcome of the war would have been the same.

We should dwell separately on the figure of the “architect of Pearl Harbor” - Japanese Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto. There is no doubt that he was an honest military man and a competent strategist, who more than once warned the Japanese leadership about the futility and disastrous consequences of the coming war with the United States. The admiral argued that even with the most favorable development of events, the Imperial Japanese Navy would last no more than a year - then the inevitable defeat and death of the Japanese Empire would follow. Admiral Yamamoto remained true to his duty - if Japan is destined to die in an unequal battle, he will do everything so that the memory of this war and the exploits of Japanese sailors will forever go down in history.

Japanese aircraft carriers on their way to Hawaii. In the foreground is "Zikaku". Ahead - "Kaga"

Some sources call Yamamoto one of the most outstanding naval commanders - around the figure of the admiral, the image of an “eastern sage” was formed, whose decisions and actions are filled with genius and “incomprehensible eternal truth.” Alas, real events showed the opposite - Admiral Yamamoto turned out to be completely incompetent in tactical issues of fleet management.

The only successful operation planned by the admiral - the attack on Pearl Harbor - demonstrated a complete lack of logic in choosing targets and disgusting coordination of the actions of Japanese aviation. Yamamoto planned a "stunning blow". But why were the fuel storage facility and infrastructure of the base untouched? - the most important objects, the destruction of which could really complicate the actions of the US Navy.

"They can't take a hit"

As Admiral Yamamoto predicted, the Japanese war machine moved forward uncontrollably for six months, bright flashes of victory one after another illuminated the Pacific theater of war. Problems began later - the continuous strengthening of the US Navy slowed down the pace of the Japanese offensive. In the summer of 1942, the situation almost got out of control - Admiral Yamamoto’s tactics of fragmenting forces and separating “strike” and “anti-ship” groups of carrier-based aircraft led to the disaster at Midway.

But the real nightmare began in 1943 - the Japanese fleet suffered defeats one after another, and the shortage of ships, aircraft and fuel became more and more acute. Japan's scientific and technological backwardness made itself felt - when trying to break through to the US Navy squadrons, Japanese planes fell from the sky like cherry petals. At the same time, the Americans confidently flew over the very masts of Japanese ships. There were not enough radars and hydroacoustic stations - increasingly, Japanese ships became victims of American submarines.

The Japanese defensive perimeter was bursting at the seams - colossal reserves allowed the Americans to land troops simultaneously in different regions of the Pacific Ocean. Meanwhile... more and more new ships appeared in the vastness of the Pacific theater of operations - the US industry daily delivered a couple of new combat units (destroyers, cruisers, submarines or aircraft carriers) to the fleet.

The ugly truth about the Imperial Japanese Navy has been revealed: Admiral Yamamoto's bid for an aircraft carrier fleet has failed! In conditions of total enemy superiority, Japanese aircraft carriers perished as soon as they reached the combat zone.

Japanese carrier-based aircraft achieved notable successes in raiding operations - the raid on Ceylon or Pearl Harbor (if you do not take into account missed opportunities). The surprise factor and large combat radius of aviation made it possible to avoid return fire and return to base after successfully completing the mission.

The Japanese had an equal chance of winning squadron battles with the US Navy (Battle of the Coral Sea, Midway, Santa Cruz). Here everything was decided by the quality of training of pilots, ship crews and, most importantly, His Majesty Chance.

But in conditions of numerical superiority of the enemy (i.e., when the probability of getting under return fire was 100%), the Japanese aircraft carrier fleet did not even have a ghostly hope for any favorable outcome of the situation. The principle of “winning not by numbers, but by skill” turned out to be useless - any fire contact ended in the quick and inevitable death of the aircraft carrier.

It turned out that the once formidable aircraft carriers did not hold up at all and sank like puppies, even with little exposure to enemy fire. Sometimes, a few hits from conventional bombs were enough to sink an aircraft carrier. This was a death sentence for the Imperial Navy - aircraft carriers and carrier-based aircraft turned out to be extremely ineffective in a defensive war.

The disgusting survivability of aircraft carriers was best demonstrated by the Battle of Midway Atoll: a group of 30 Dontless dive bombers, under the command of Captain McCluskey, who broke through, burned two Japanese attack aircraft carriers, Akagi and Kaga, in literally a minute (their hulls, burnt out, sank in the evening ). A similar fate befell the aircraft carriers Soryu and Hiryu on the same day.

American attack aircraft carrier USS Bellow Wood after a kamikaze attack

Everything can be learned by comparison: in October 1944, a Japanese squadron of 12 battleships and cruisers sailed for several hours under continuous attacks from more than 500 American carrier-based aircraft. Without any air cover and with primitive air defense systems. The result was only the death of the cruiser Suzuya and heavy damage to a couple of other ships. The rest of Admiral Takeo Kurita's squadron safely left the area of ​​American aircraft and returned to Japan.

It’s even scary to imagine what would have happened if large aircraft carriers had been in place of the battleships Yamato and Nagato - a hail of small-caliber bombs would have caused uncontrollable fires on the flight and hangar decks, and then the rapid death of the ships from internal explosions.

The reason for the poor condition of the Nagato superstructure is a nuclear explosion with a power of 23 kt.
The old Japanese battleship turned out to be stronger than nuclear fire!

Admiral Kurita's squadron happily escaped destruction. And at this time, a real massacre was taking place in the vastness of the Pacific Ocean:

On June 19, 1944, the heavy aircraft carrier Taiho was sunk. The only torpedo hit from the Albacore submarine did not cause significant damage, but caused depressurization of the fuel line. A small unnoticed problem turned into a disaster - 6.5 hours after the torpedo attack, the Taiho was torn to shreds by an explosion of gasoline vapors (1,650 sailors died).
The trick was that the brand new aircraft carrier Taiho was destroyed on her first combat campaign, just three months after launching.

A day later, on June 20, 1944, the attack aircraft carrier Hiyo was lost under similar circumstances. The only difference is that the fatal torpedo was dropped by a carrier-based aircraft.

The fantastic sinking of the super-aircraft carrier Shinano 17 hours after its first departure to sea is just a common curiosity in the history of naval battles. The ship was unfinished, the bulkheads were not sealed, and the crew was not trained. However, there is a grain of humor in every joke - eyewitnesses reported that one of the torpedo hits was directly in the area of ​​jet fuel tanks. Perhaps the crew of the aircraft carrier was very lucky - at the time of sinking, the Shinano was empty.

The USS Shokaku appears to be having problems with its flight deck.

However, aircraft carriers also failed for less significant reasons. During the battle in the Coral Sea, three air bombs took the heavy aircraft carrier Shokaku out of play for a long time.

A song about the rapid destruction of Japanese aircraft carriers would not be complete without mentioning their opponents. The Americans faced the same problem - the slightest exposure to enemy fire caused terrible fires on board aircraft carriers.

In October 1944, the light aircraft carrier Princeton was completely burned out by just two 250-kg aerial bombs.

In March 1945, the aircraft carrier Franklin was seriously damaged - only two 250-kg aerial bombs hit the ship, which caused one of the largest tragedies of the US Navy in terms of the number of casualties. The bombs fell in the center of the flight deck - a fire instantly engulfed 50 aircraft, fully fueled and ready to take off. Result: 807 dead, a completely destroyed air wing, uncontrolled fires on all decks of the ship, loss of speed, a 13-degree list to the port side and the aircraft carrier was ready to sink.
The Franklin was saved only due to the absence of the main enemy forces nearby - in a real battle the ship would certainly have been sunk.

The aircraft carrier Franklin has not yet decided whether to stay afloat or sink
Survivors pack their bags and prepare for evacuation

Kamikazes hit the aircraft carrier Interpid

Fire on the aircraft carrier "Saint Lo" as a result of a kamikaze attack (the ship will die)

But the real madness began with the advent of Japanese kamikazes. “Living bombs” falling from the sky could not damage the underwater part of the hull, but the consequences of their falling onto the flight deck lined with aircraft were simply terrible.

The incident on the attack aircraft carrier Bunker Hill became a textbook case: on May 11, 1945, the ship was attacked by two kamikazes off the coast of Okinawa. In a terrible fire, Bunker Hill lost its entire air wing and more than 400 crew members.

From all these stories there is a very obvious conclusion:

The Imperial Japanese Navy was doomed - building a heavy cruiser or battleship instead of the Taiho aircraft carrier would have made no difference. The enemy had a 10-fold numerical superiority, coupled with overwhelming technical superiority. The war was already lost the moment Japanese planes struck Pearl Harbor.

However, it can be assumed that by having highly protected gunships instead of aircraft carriers, the Imperial Navy, in the situation in which it found itself at the end of the war, could prolong its agony and cause additional damage to the enemy. The American fleet easily crushed Japanese aircraft carrier groups, but every time it encountered a heavy Japanese cruiser or battleship, the US Navy had to tinker a lot.

Admiral Yamamoto's bet on aircraft carriers turned out to be disastrous. But why did the Japanese continue to build aircraft carriers until the very end of the war (even rebuilding the last Yamato-class battleship into the Shinano aircraft carrier)? The answer is simple: Japan's dying industry could not build anything more complex than an aircraft carrier. It may sound incredible, but 70 years ago an aircraft carrier was structurally quite simple and cheap, much simpler than a cruiser or battleship. No electromagnetic supercatapults or nuclear reactors. The simplest steel box for servicing the same small and simple aircraft.

True, the aircraft carrier trough will sink even from small-caliber bombs, but the crew of the aircraft carrier hopes that they will only have to fight against an obviously weak and unprepared enemy. Otherwise - the “overkill” manner.

Epilogue

Low survivability is inherent in the very idea of ​​an aircraft carrier. Aviation needs SPACE - instead, it is driven onto the cramped decks of a rocking ship and forced to carry out takeoff and landing operations with a runway length three times shorter than required. The dense layout and crowding of aircraft inevitably serves as a source of increased accident rate for an aircraft carrier, and the general lack of security and constant work with flammable substances lead to a natural result - a serious naval battle is contraindicated for an aircraft carrier.

8-hour fire aboard the USS Oriskany (1966). The explosion of a magnesium flare (!) led to a massive fire in the hangar, with the death of all the aircraft in it and 44 sailors from the ship’s crew.

The terrible fire on the aircraft carrier USS Forrestal (1967), which became the largest tragedy in terms of the number of casualties in the post-war history of the US Navy (134 dead sailors).

A repetition of similar events on board the aircraft carrier Enterprise (1969).

Urgent measures were taken to increase the survivability of aircraft carrier ships, automatic deck irrigation systems and other special equipment appeared. It would seem that all the troubles are behind us.

But... 1981, unsuccessful landing of the EA-6B Prowler electronic warfare aircraft. Explosions roar on the flight deck of the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Nimitz, and flames rise above the ship's superstructure. 14 casualties, 48 ​​wounded. In addition to the Prowler itself and its crew, three F-14 Tomcat interceptors burned in the fire. Ten Corsair II and Intruder attack aircraft, two F-14s, three Viking anti-submarine aircraft and a Sea King helicopter were seriously damaged. Nimitz at one point lost a third of its air wing.

A similar incident on the USS Midway

An ineradicable problem with safety and survivability will haunt aircraft carriers as long as the circus called “carrier-based aviation” exists.