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The F-35B Beat…

On July 5, 2023

At 10:34 am

In General

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140103-N-QI228-508 GULF OF OMAN (Jan. 3, 2014) The Italian navy aircraft carrier ITS Cavour (CVH 550), front, the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) and the French navy aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle (R 91), conduct operations in the Gulf of Oman. Harry S. Truman, flagship for the Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group, is conducting operations with Task Force 473 to enhance levels of cooperation and interoperability, enhance mutual maritime capabilities and promote long-term regional stability in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Ethan M. Schumacher/Released)

Haven’t talked much about the F-35B lately, although its existence is key to some of the debates associated with the future of the aircraft carrier. As it happens, there’s quite a lot of cross-polination with respect to operation of the F-35B across different navies:

Admiral Ryo Sakai, Chief of staff of the JMSDF, said at a press conference on July 4 that the service will cooperate with the Italian Navy in the operation of the F-35B aircraft, with an eye on the Italian Navy’s F-35Bs taking off and landing on the JMSDF Izumo-class helicopter carriers JS Izumo (DDH 183) and JS Kaga (DDH 184) in the future.

Italian and Japanese navies working together! Party like it’s 1939! More seriously, being part of a community of navies that can share experiential learning is important in any part of naval operations, but particularly in naval aviation where the complexity is high and competence is built by layers of human capital and organizational practice. Developing that experience on its own is probably the biggest reason to be bearish about China’s carrier program, although the PLAN is big and well-funded enough to brute force its way through. I wouldn’t be placing any bets in favor of the future of Russia’s carrier program, though.