Japan's Ruling LDP Party wants Aircraft Carrier 'Mother Ship'

Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has set a proposal to introduce a multipurpose “mother ship” enabling takeoffs and landings by fighter jets into the country’s navy fleet, which is expected to be submitted for review with the government this month end.

According to the proposal released in March, the LDP termed the envisioned ship a multipurpose defensive aircraft carrier. It should be used when an onshore runway is unusable, the proposals said, adding the vessel would also be good for use as a base for disaster relief operations, The Japan Times reports.

With the Maritime Self-Defense Force’s Izumo helicopter destroyer in mind, the LDP said that Japan should work toward the early introduction of a mother ship for aircraft, possibly by upgrading an existing vessel.

The party also asked the government to procure from the United States cutting-edge F-35B stealth fighters capable of conducting short takeoffs and vertical landings.

The LDP also wants the government to consider acquiring the capability to attack enemy bases.