Impact turns + answers – bfhmrs russia War Good
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Harbor Teacher Prep-subingsubing-Ho-Neg-Lamdl T1-Round3, Impact Turns Aff Neg - Michigan7 2019 BFHMRS
Navy ThumpsJapan already has a dope navyYoshihara 14 (Toshi, senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments, American Enterprise Institute, “Japanese hard power: Rising to the challenge,” published August 25th, 2014, http://www.aei.org/publication/japanese-hard-power-rising-to-the-challenge/, accessed 7/13/19, JME.) Japan boasts one of the most modern and professional militaries in the world. During the Cold War, the SDF complemented-and filled the gaps of-the US military presence in the Western Pacific. Japan’s armed forces shielded the home islands while the major forward bases along the Japanese archipelago allowed the United States to project power across Asia and beyond. The Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force’s (MSDF’s) surface, undersea, and air units bottled up Soviet naval forces in the Sea of Japan. The maritime service also kept open the sea lanes and secured the maritime approaches to Japan, which were critical to the nation’s economic well-being. The ASDF’s modern fighters ensured that Japan could defend the airspace over and near the country. The nation’s Ground Self-Defense Force (GSDF) bristled with tanks and artillery to defend against a full-scale Soviet invasion of the homeland, particularly against Hokkaido Island. The SDF was-and remains-largely a defensive force designed to maintain the nation’s territorial integrity, possessing limited offensive power projection capabilities. Japan’s current force structure and posture are thus legacies of this superpower rivalry. As a quintessential maritime nation, it is not surprising that Japan counts the MSDF as its leading service. Over the past decade, Japanese naval power has evolved in both quantitative and qualitative terms. In 2010, Tokyo announced its plan to increase its world-class submarine fleet from 16 to 22 boats, representing a nearly 40 percent jump in size. The decision was all the more remarkable because the number of boats had stayed fixed at 16 since 1976. Leading this growth is the cutting-edge Sōryū-class diesel-electric submarine. The largest of its kind in the world, the Sōryū is superior to its predecessor by virtually every index of performance. It is the first Japanese boat fitted with air-independent propulsion, a fuel-cell technology that permits submarines to operate underwater for extended periods while quieting their noise signature. In short, the MSDF leads the region in conventional submarine warfare, constituting the benchmark against which other Asian navies will be compared over the next decade. Notably, Japan has been able to invest in its undersea prowess without imposing undue burdens on its fiscal position. The MSDF has traditionally decommissioned its submarines unusually early, introducing more advanced boats to replace older ones that could have stayed in active service for at least another decade. To support the current buildup, the maritime service began keeping its existing boats at sea longer, allowing for a steady growth in fleet size without substantially increasing acquisition costs. Japan will likely meet its 22-boat target before the end of the decade. The MSDF’s surface fleet, comprised of nearly 50 major surface combatants, has also undergone a makeover. In 2009, the maritime service commissioned the first of two Hyūga-class helicopter carriers with a full load displacement of 19,000 tons. Capable of embarking as many as 11 helicopters, the carrier is a powerful antisubmarine warfare (ASW) platform. In 2013, Japan launched the first of two Izumo-class ASW helicopter carriers that displace 27,000 tons at full load and carry up to 14 helicopters. Measuring nearly 250 meters in length, the Izumo will enter service in 2015 as the largest warship the Japanese have built since World War II. It promises to substantially boost Japan’s ability to conduct and sustain ASW operations alongside the Hyūga-class carriers. Additionally, two more Aegis-equipped surface combatants will join the four Kongō-class and two Atago-class guided missile destroyers to enhance Japan’s missile defense capabilities at sea. In 2012, the first of four Akizuki-class guided missile destroyers was commissioned to provide antiair, antisurface, and antisubmarine cover for the helicopter carriers and Aegis-equipped destroyers. For the MSDF’s air fleet, the P-1s-the next-generation maritime patrol aircraft-will eventually replace the aging P-3Cs as Japan’s main shored-based, fixed-wing ASW unit. The ASDF fields a mix of fourth- and third-generation fighters, including nearly 200 F-15s, 90 F-2s (a variant of the American F-16), and 60 F-4s. A modest number of KC-767 aerial refueling tankers, E-767 Airborne Warning and Control System aircraft, and E-2C airborne early-warning aircraft provide support to Japan’s air superiority and multirole combat aircraft. A fleet of C-130 and C-1 transports furnishes limited strategic lift to Japanese forces. The most prominent and expensive modernization program for the air service is that of the fifth-generation F-35 fighters. Because of the prohibitive per-unit cost of the aircraft, which has risen further with Japan’s participation in the local production of the fighters’ parts, the ASDF currently plans to acquire only 42 F-35s. Download 0.83 Mb. Share with your friends:
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