Musashi_kenshin
Well-Known Member
I'm not sure I accept that a ski-jump carrier with F-35Bs can be considered purely "defensive" whereas a CATOBAR carrier with F-35Cs would be "offensive". A carrier can be used defensively or offensively. I remember back in the day when it was firmly believed by all sides that any sort of fixed-wing aircraft carrier for the MSDF would be completley unconstitutional. Then the MSDF poked at the boundaries by having through-deck helicopter "destroyers". Now the boundaries have been pushed again by the F-35B.
If Japan went for larger carriers with F-35Cs, the decision would be political, not legal. I'm unaware of a single case that has gone through the Japanese courts in the last 10 years interpreting what the MSDF can and can't do, and where the decision has restricted the Japanese government's procurement plans.
It's also important to remember that Japan has already announced plans to order the JASSM-ER, which is objectively an offensive weapon.
www.janes.com
(If anything this is old news, as plans to buy JASSM-ER were announced years ago.)
No legal cases have been brought successfully against that, nor have any of the major parties sought to block the purchase on the basis that it's unconstitutional.
Besides, significantly larger carriers are not going to be built tomorrow, nor will there be a sudden order of F-35Cs. I think any decision won't be at least for another 5 years, when the converted Izumos are ready and the public has seen and accepted ship-launched fighters.
If Japan went for larger carriers with F-35Cs, the decision would be political, not legal. I'm unaware of a single case that has gone through the Japanese courts in the last 10 years interpreting what the MSDF can and can't do, and where the decision has restricted the Japanese government's procurement plans.
It's also important to remember that Japan has already announced plans to order the JASSM-ER, which is objectively an offensive weapon.
Japan to begin receiving Joint Strike Missiles from April 2021
Tokyo is expected to start taking delivery of precision-guided Joint Strike Missiles (JSMs) for the Japan Air Self-Defense Force’s (JASDF’s) growing fleet of Lockheed...
www.janes.com
(If anything this is old news, as plans to buy JASSM-ER were announced years ago.)
No legal cases have been brought successfully against that, nor have any of the major parties sought to block the purchase on the basis that it's unconstitutional.
Besides, significantly larger carriers are not going to be built tomorrow, nor will there be a sudden order of F-35Cs. I think any decision won't be at least for another 5 years, when the converted Izumos are ready and the public has seen and accepted ship-launched fighters.
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