The Black Ghost

Cool ship, probably very fast too for a light carrier---ahem, destroyer.

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'Much madness is divinest sense'

HKDan

I know that Wikipedia isn't the greatest source, but they have the Hyuga at 30+ knots.

Hyuga class destroyer - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

gunnut

Japanese always had a facination with hybrid ships. They built the Shirane class and the Haruna class to carrier helos for their ASW force. The model was designed to keep Japan's sealane open in times of war. They would deal with *ahem* Soviet subs while the USN carry out the offensive end in times of war.

The Shirane class and the Haruna class were real destroyers with a rather large helo complement. They just expanded on the concept by increasing the number of helos to 11, and deleting the 2 gun mounts and the ASROC. The designation remains the same.

Brilliant concept to get an aircraft carrier in the water while not calling it an aircraft carrier. It's not even a cruiser like the Lusty. But a lowly destroyer, an escort, meant for defense...

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gunnut

Did a search on Wiki for "sea control ship" and this page came up:

Sea Control Ship - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Look at the first source cited for this entry.

Tasman

This must surely be classified as a DDH purely for political reasons. I guess though that it will perform one of the traditional destroyer roles of fleet ASW escort.

Tas

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Stan

I understand the need to not break their constituional stance. But surely with the growth of the Chinese navy the Japs can see a carrier as a defensive measure.

Slap a ramp on there and lets rock!

Tarek Morgen

mh japan calls their carrier destroyer to make it sound less aggressive and Germany calls it destroyer frigates to it sound less aggressive...

Stan

you guys change the names to make them less aggressive, the brits just under arm them

gunnut

I don't know why people think calling things what they really are is a taboo.

A ship displacing 6000+ tons and armed to the teeth are not "frigates." Those things are destroyers at the very least, if they are for defensive operations. Armed with land attack missiles those things should be called cruisers. Hell, they are as big as light cruisers in WW2.

Other than not being armored, Burkes really are cruisers with their offensive capabilities.

I guess the Japanese have to call their carrier a DDH due to constitutional restraint. Even a helicopter carrier is pushing the envelope.

Damn socialist liberal hippie treehuggers piss me off.

Stan

treehugging hippies annoy me too man. I girl i went to school with passed me in the street the other day with a clipboard. she came running back to me smiling, "youll sign this petition against renewing trident, wont you!" - to which i replied "are you ~#cking made?".

JBG

I seem to recall that there are particular constitutional issues with trying to get money for ships described as being above destroyers, ie cruisers, aircraft carriers etc.

Also, it may be that the Japanese have been under reporting the displacement of some of their warship classes.

In any event the latest ship is only slightly more a destroyer than my elderly cat. It is a small carrier.

The plot thickens!!

Jonathan

VarSity

I have got that beaten. My girlfriend and her mother are real hippies. You wouldnt believe the arguments we had over trident (and the CVF's).

Does anyone see these carriers (im calling them carriers because thats what they are!) being a response to China saying it was going to build some?

gunnut

That and it's a natural growth of one of the most powerful navies on this earth.

Japanese navy has all the tools of power projection. They just don't venture far due to legal and historical hurdles.

Dreadnought

My my havent we become the popular one.

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Fortitude.....The strength to persist...The courage to endure.

TopHatter

Somebody on Wikipedia insists on using me as a "source"

Uh-uh.