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A US F-35 Lightning II fighter jet has landed on Japan’s Izumo Class multifunctional destroyer JS Kaga for the first time in a key milestone.
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A specially instrumented F-35B short take-off and vertical landing variant of the fifth-generation air system was flown by a test pilot and touched down on the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force destroyer about 3:15pm on 20 October.
The aircraft will now begin developmental testing aboard the vessel off the southern coast of California across approximately three weeks.
Sea trials will leverage the ship’s recent modifications to conduct fixed-wing aircraft operations.
Changes to JS Kaga included painting its flight deck with heat-resistant material that tolerates the F-35B’s vectored thrust engines, installing lights for nighttime operations, and reshaping the flight deck’s bow from a trapezoid to a rectangular shape.
The trials will also pave the way for allies’ increased ability to operate in conjunction with each other.
“This test is essential for strengthening Japan’s defence capabilities and is of utmost importance. We will do our best to achieve good test results together with the ITF,” said Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force Captain Shusaku Takeuchi, commanding officer, JS Kaga.
“This test does not merely enhance the capabilities of the Maritime Self-Defense Force. It also improves the interoperability between Japan and the US, strengthening the deterrence and response capabilities of the Japan–US alliance, thereby contributing to peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.”
The F-35 is detached from Air Test and Evaluation Squadron Two Three (VX-23), Naval Air Station Patuxent River (NAS Pax River), Maryland. It joins a test team from the F-35 Pax River Integrated Test Force (Pax ITF), which embarked the ship in San Diego.
In addition to F-35 test pilots, the Pax ITF team includes aircraft maintainers, flight test engineers, flight test control engineers, flight deck personnel, logisticians and others, with support from the US Navy and Marine Corps.
“We are proud to be part of this joint effort to test the compatibility of F-35B aboard JS Kaga,” said Seth Dion, Pax ITF team lead.
“Our team has prepared meticulously for this mission, and we are committed to working closely with our allies to achieve our shared goals and strengthen our partnership.”
JS Kaga set sail from its homeport at Kure Naval Base, Japan, in early September.
