By Zachary Keck
Japan officially unveiled its long-awaited Izumo-class helicopter destroyer (22DDH-class destroyer) on Wednesday, the Associated Pressreports.
At 250 meters (820 feet) long, and reportedly displacing 24,000 tons, the ship can carry 14 helicopters. It is the largest warship Japan has fielded since WWII, and about 50 percent bigger (in terms of displacement) than Japan’s current largest ship, the Hyuga-class helicopter destroyer.
The unveiling of the vessel, which will be the third helicopter carrier in the Japan Maritime Self Defense Forces’ (JMSDF) fleet, coincides with the 68th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima. The 22DDH-Class Destroyer was first order in 2009 and is expected to be commissioned into the fleet in 2015.
Tokyo has said the Izumo-class destroyer will be used for anti-submarine warfare, border-area surveillance missions and to transport personnel to the sites of natural disasters.
However, the vessel has clearly unnerved China, where it has received extensive coverage in the state media.
Read the full story at The Diplomat