JAPAN / 日本

[arfah]

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[xav]

Nork ? Chinese ? Russian ?

JMSDF P-3C MPA and Asagiri-class Destroyer Detected a Submerged Submarine in Sea of Japan

The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) detected an unidentified submarine near Tsushima Island situated in the Korea Strait between the Japanese mainland and the Korean Peninsula.

http://www.navyrecognition.com/index.ph ... ew&id=3590

[xav]

Japan Will Soon Launch Replacement Program for JMSDF 3 Towada class Replenishment Oilers

The Japanese Minister of Defense should soon launch a new replenishement oiler program to replace the three Towada class replenishment ships. The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) Towada, Tokiwa and Hamana were ordered in the 1980ies and commissioned in 1987 and 1990.

http://www.navyrecognition.com/index.ph ... ew&id=3622

[xav]

JMSDF Appointed the First Female Officer to Command a Destroyer

The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) appointed Commander Miho Otani as the commanding officer aboard Asagiri-class destroyer Yamagiri (DD-152) on 29 February 2016. Cmdr. Otani becomes the first woman to command a major surface combatant ship in the JMSDF.

http://www.navyrecognition.com/index.ph ... ew&id=3637

[xav]

Japan's MHI Delivers 7th Soryu-Class Submarine "Jinryu" to JMSDF

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI) delivered the "Jinryu" submarine to the Japanese Ministry of Defense (MOD) today in a ceremony held at the MHI Kobe Shipyard & Machinery Works' No.3 pier in Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture. The Jinryu is the seventh Soryu-class submarine supplied to the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF), and the fourth built by MHI. MHI also built the first Soryu-class submarine, and has produced a total of 26 submarines at the MHI Kobe Shipyard over the last 70 years.

http://www.navyrecognition.com/index.ph ... ew&id=3668

[Halidon]

507 looks the part, thanks for the update, Xav.

[Caribbean]

Japanese stealth fighter makes maiden flight

http://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Compani ... den-flight

[xav]

GE to Provide IHI with LM2500 Gas Turbines for Japan’s New 8,200-Ton 27DD Aegis Destroyer

GE’s Marine Solutions announced it will provide IHI, Tokyo, Japan, with two LM2500 aeroderivative marine gas turbines for the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force’s (JMSDF) new 8,200-ton class Aegis destroyer.

The GE LM2500 gas turbines for the new Aegis destroyer will be equipped with integrated electronic controls, and will be arranged in a Combined Gas turbine-eLectric And Gas turbine (COGLAG) configuration. IHI will deliver the LM2500 propulsion modules to the shipyard, Japan Marine United Corporation, in 2018.

http://www.navyrecognition.com/index.ph ... ew&id=4037

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[ArmChairCivvy]

Chinese Type 054 Frigate enters Senkaku/Diaoyou island chain waters for first time (East China Sea).

One reason why their CG is getting lots of (big) frigate sized ships... easier to tip the toe in the bath water (and then de-escalate, if the water turns out to be too hot).

[arfah]

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[ArmChairCivvy]

Some of the other forums I visit have expressed a concern that the PRC will use the political season in the U.S. as a distraction to do just that.

Ahh! When did the invasion of Georgia happen? Clue: during the Olympics [Presidential/ Administration transition is a good bonus to add on top.]

How did all the precursors to WW2 start? Ahh, China attacked Japan (their railways) in Manchuria: Abyssinia attacked the Italians in their Somaliland; and the Finns started an artillery bombardment against Russia.

I think the real trouble is brewing somewhere else; The Chinese will be very careful, and will be playing the long game.

[arfah]

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[ArmChairCivvy]

strategy is to encroach, occupy, stabilise, encroach, occupy and stabilise, etc

That falls in line with it (and perhaps a bigger blow-out, too) happening somewhere else (hint: closer to home) first.

[arfah]

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[ArmChairCivvy]

Yep,

It went well in Abkhazia (because the people there wanted it; historically at odds with the Georgians). No one knows what the South Ossetians want (Stalin might have, being a N. Ossetian himself).

It worked, at a great cost, for Crimea.

The latest rumblings are just a prelude for letting go Novorussiya (because the cost has risen so far above any benefit)... but expect some brinkmanship nefore it is all sorted.

[arfah]

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[ArmChairCivvy]

A double negative: you can't fly there... neither can you!
- what is the positive that comes out of it?

[arfah]

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[ArmChairCivvy]

The situation in the East & South China Seas is not only driving Japan's defence budget up, but also leading to attempts at diversifying energy supply routes:

http://sputniknews.com/business/2016090 ... share.html

OK, there always a buyer and the seller. What would be the seller's (Russia's, where the oil industry is state controlled) motivation?
- Shale oil production is forecast to climb steeply in China
- there were big pipeline projects and 25-yr supply deals trumpeted when the economic sanctions were being formulated/ put in place
- no doubt the pipelines will be built (good for China's manufacturing exports),
BUT, how much oil/ gas will actually flow through them?

[arfah]

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[xav]

Japan May Have Tested its New XASM-3 Supersonic Anti-Ship Missile for the First Time

According to several witnesses from Japan (including open sources such as spotter pictures posted on Twitter), Japan's Ministry of Defense (MoD) has probably conducted the first live fire test of the new XASM-3 supersonic anti-ship missile. The Japanese MoD was originally planning to test the missile in 2016, as we reported in 2015, but not such test occurred last year.

http://www.navyrecognition.com/index.ph ... -time.html