March 6, 2016

Japanese Navy bilateral exercises and humanitarian support

On March 6, 2016 S has kindly provided the following on Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF) or (Japanese Navy) bilateral and humanitarian activities.

S’s Comment: Though its activities are constrained by the Japanese Constitution, the Japanese Ministry of Defense (MOD) is seriously making international cooperation efforts. Here are some examples:

The bilateral training exercises of JMSDF in 2015 and 2016:

2015/04/05
Sri Lankan Navy (Sri Lankan west ocean area)
2015/04/23
Maldives National Defense Force (Maldives surrounding ocean area)
2015/05/12
the Philippine Navy (Manila west ocean area)
2015/06/13
French Navy (east Gulf of Aden)
2015/08/19
Malaysian Navy (Sabah, west ocean area)
2015/09/14
US Navy (Yokosuka) for disaster relief training
2015/09/21-24
US Navy (Okinawa surrounding ocean area) for 127th anti-submarine operation
2015/10/19
S Korean Navy (Kanto south ocean area) for search and rescue training
2015/10/19-22
RAN (Kanto-Shikoku south ocean area)
2015/10/23
French Navy (Okinawa north ocean area)
2015/11/11
Sri Lankan Navy (Sri Lankan west ocean area)
2015/11/16-25
US Navy (Japan surrounding ocean area, airspace)
2015/11/30
Sri Lankan Navy (Sri Lankan west ocean area) 
2015/12/18
Turkish Navy (Gulf of Aden)
2016/01/28
EU (Spanish Navy) (Gulf of Aden)
2016/01/26-02/02
US Navy (Tokai ocean area) for 128th anti-submarine activities
2016/02/09
Pakistan Navy (Gulf of Aden)


JMSDF (or Japanese Navy) humanitarian support in the South Pacific and other areas are as follows:

2009-
present Anti-piracy operation (P3C, Warship) 
2004
Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami
2010/08-09
Pakistan damaged by flood
2013/11-12
The Philippines damaged by Severe Tropical Storm Pewa: humanitarian support & disaster relief by 1,180 JMSDF troops
2014/01/03-09
Air Asia flight 8501 for search and rescue operation
2014/03-04
Air Malaysia flight 370 for search and rescue operation
2015/06/21-27
the Philippine Navy (Palawan Island, Palawan Island north west ocean area）for humanitarian support & disaster relief training by using P3C.
2016/02/25-29
Hosting of 19th Asia-Pacific Countries Navy University -“Strengthening of Maritime Security and Corporation in Asia-Pacific Area” 
2016/03/05-present,
the Aurora Australis rescue operation

Further information is at http://www.mod.go.jp/msdf/formal/english/about/operation/index.html
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Japanese Ministry of Defense (MOD) 2015 Year in Review video. 50 seconds in it goes to a clear English voice-over. The video concentrates on Japan's Self Defense Forces (SDF) humanitarian activities. (Published March 1, 2016).

 Like Australia's close relations with the US a close Japanese relationship with the US is evident. Note the humanitarian aid Pacific Partnership 4 minutes in.


S and Pete

14 comments:

  1. Anonymous3/06/2016 8:44 PM

    Hi Pete

    I did not mention the trilateral corporation such as US-Australia-Japan (JMSDF), JFSDF, JDSDF activities. But, many countries helped Japan in disaster, especially aftermath of the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami & Great Hanshin earthquake in 1995.

    S

    ReplyDelete
  2. Pete3/06/2016 9:45 PM

    Hi S

    Not to worry. Japan's bilateral, trilateral, multi-lateral and humanitarian aid activities is a whole new area that Submarine Matters will visit often.

    Regards

    Pete

    ReplyDelete
  3. Unknown3/07/2016 9:10 AM

    Here is a very special video of 5th Soryu class, Zuiryu. You can see the most part of inside the submarine. But unfortunately, every control panels are blurred.

    https://youtu.be/TWkiiCcKKvQ

    ReplyDelete
  4. Pete3/07/2016 12:43 PM

    Thanks Ace Pilot - English captioning of Japanese Youtube.

    https://youtu.be/TWkiiCcKKvQ is quite a discovery - only just released on Feb 29, 2016.

    If only https://youtu.be/TWkiiCcKKvQ could be captioned in English this would be good public relations - increasing the chances of selling to Australia.

    Regards

    Pete

    ReplyDelete
  5. Anonymous3/09/2016 11:22 AM

    Hi Pete

    The joint training of JMSDF and RAN by submarine will be conducted in April. But, detail of the joint training is not announced yet.

    http://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20160308/k10010435181000.html (NHK NESWEB, Mar/08/2016)
    MOD decided to conduct a joint training of JMSDF and RAN, next month by the submarine for the first time in three years. As Australia is going to select the joint development country of new submarines by the end of the year, MOD thinks this joint training is an opportunity to appeal to the performance of the Japanese submarine. *snip*

    Regards
    S

    ReplyDelete
  6. Pete3/09/2016 12:41 PM

    Hi S [at 9/3/16 11:22 AM]

    Thanks for http://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20160308/k10010435181000.html

    So the joint training with a Japanese submarine will take place in waters near Australia according to http://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20160308/k10010435181000.html . I'm guessing it might be the same Japanese sub visiting Philippines in early April, then Vietnam
    http://gentleseas.blogspot.com.au/2016/03/japans-first-ship-submarine-fonop-in.html . Then it may sail south toward Fleet Base West (south of Perth) Western Australia for the training and perhaps a courtesy/refueling visit to Fleet Base West.

    I'm guessing no similar joint training is held between RAN subs and those of France or Germany?

    Regards

    Pete

    ReplyDelete
  7. Anonymous3/09/2016 8:59 PM

    Hi Pete

    In Mar/09/2016, Maritime Staff Office of JMSDF announced the program [1] of said joint training of JMSDF and Australia as follows.

    1 Aim
    JMSDF improves its tactical skill and strengthens its collaboration with RAN and RAAF by carrying out the joint tactical training with JMSDF, RAN and RAAF.

    2 Period: Mar/15/2015-May/28/2028

    3 Place: Sydney surrounding sea area

    4 Contingents
    4-1 Commander of Contingents: Captain Masahiko Kawakubo, Commander of the 13th Escort Division

    4-2 Contingent : Destroyer “Asayuki” [2], destroyer “Umigiri” [3], two equipped aircrafts and submarine “Hakuryu”[4] ( ca. 440 personnels)

    5 Schedule
    5-1 Escort fleet
    Mar/22 Kure (departure)---Mar/27 Apra (arrival)---Mar/29 Apra (departure)---Apr/15 Sydney (arrival)---Apr/26 Sydney (departure)---May/13 Apra (arrival)---May/15 Apra (departure)--- May/19 Katsuren (arrival)

    5-2 Submarine fleet
    Mar/15 Kure (departure)---Mar/23 Apra (arrival)---Mar/25 Apra (departure)---Apr/15 Sydney (arrival)---Apr/26 Sydney (departure)---May/17 Apra (arrival)---May/19 Apra (departure)--- May/289 Katsuren (arrival)

    6 Content of training
    Anti-submarine warfare training, tactical exercise, communication training, PHOTEX etc.

    [1]http://www.mod.go.jp/msdf/formal/info/news/201603/20160309-01.pdf
    [2] DD-132 Asayui (displacement 3,100tonne) is the 11th Hatsuyuki-class destroyer (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hatsuyuki-class_destroyer)
    [3]DD-158 Umigiri (displacement 3,550tonne) the 8th Asagiri-class destroyer
    (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asagiri-class_destroyer)
    [4]The 3rd Soryu-class submarine (MHI)

    Regards
    S

    ReplyDelete
  8. Pete3/10/2016 12:19 PM

    Hi S [at 9/3/16 8:59 PM]

    Thankyou for all that detail. It appears the Japanese Navy (JMSDF) is increasing its bilateral exercises and port visits to Australia.

    Regards

    Pete

    ReplyDelete
  9. Anonymous3/11/2016 5:48 AM

    OMG. Today’s The Diplomat says Hakuryu outfits with a new lithium-ion battery propulsion system.

    http://thediplomat.com/2016/03/japans-deadliest-sub-to-join-australias-navy-in-military-drill/

    ReplyDelete
  10. Pete3/11/2016 11:30 AM

    Hi Anonymous [11/3/16 5:48 AM]

    Thanks for the tip-off.

    Hakuryu was only the third Soryu launched - that was in 2009.

    "JS Hakuryu, outfitted with a new lithium-ion battery propulsion system" would most probably be news to the Japanese Navy who operate Hakuryu.

    Surely the writer of http://thediplomat.com/2016/03/japans-deadliest-sub-to-join-australias-navy-in-military-drill/ means "[The future Soryus will be eventually] outfitted with a new lithium-ion battery propulsion system"

    Lithium-ion Batteries are probably impossible to retrofit as (I understand) the whole electrical system would need to be changed.

    Regards

    Pete

    ReplyDelete
  11. Anonymous3/11/2016 1:53 PM

    Hi Pete

    MOD carried out “the research on new main batteries for submarine” in 2002-2005 with the aim of actual equipment of LIBs and decided future adoption of LIBs based on the result of the result. In this research (research consignee, GS Yuasa; budget 4.6 billion yen), model LIBs had nearly same size and weight (444mm(W) x 431mm (D) x 1647mm(H), weight 770kg) as LABs (444mm(W) x 432mm (D) x 1665mm(H), weight 880kg) used for submarine.

    Laid down of the first batch of Soryu was Oct/2005.

    Key alternation of electric current system form DC to AC main motor including controller was already achieved in Soryu.

    Judging from these facts (same size and weight, big amount of budget, timing of research and laid down, achievement of key current system change), LABs of current Soryu can be exchangeable by LIBs, I think.

    Regards

    ReplyDelete
  12. Anonymous3/11/2016 5:47 PM

    Before correction
    The result of the result

    After correction
    The result of the research

    ReplyDelete
  13. Pete3/11/2016 6:48 PM

    Hi Anonymous [at 11/3/16 1:53 PM]

    Thanks for the info indicating conversion to LIBs for existing Soryus may be possible.

    I'm guessing that Japan is likely to be already testing LIBs on one or two submarines.

    This is given the timings towards the first operational LIBs only Soryu. Using SORYU TABLE at http://gentleseas.blogspot.com.au/2016/03/australian-delay-in-receiving-future.html 27SS (maybe the first LIBs only Soryu "Mark 2") might be Laid Down as early as 2016?

    Regards

    Pete

    ReplyDelete
  14. Anonymous3/11/2016 11:47 PM

    Hi Pete

    I am sorry that I cannot agree with the secret equipment of LIBs. If they use LIBs, it is reflected in the budget hike. But, the budget hike is yet perceived except 27SS and 28SS. In fact, LABs are going to be used for 26SS.

    I do not know about laid down.

    Regards

    ReplyDelete

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