Unidentified drones imperceptibly filmes largest Japanese Navy ship, US aircraft carrier

By Alimat Aliyeva

Drones of unknown origin, unnoticed by security, filmed in detail the Japanese helicopter carrier Izumo, the US nuclear aircraft carrier Ronald Reagan and other warships located at the Yokosuka Naval Base south of Tokyo, Azernews reports.

The Japanese Ministry of Defense, according to the publication, analyzed the images and practically verified their authenticity. Of particular concern, Nikkei notes, was the fact that a drone equipped with a camera flew unhindered directly over the deck of the Izumo helicopter carrier, which potentially posed a direct threat to its safety.

In Japan, a ban on drone flights over important facilities, including military bases, has been introduced since 2016. Restricted areas with a radius of 300 m have been established around them. However, incidents with drones have pointed to difficulties in the practical implementation of such prohibitions, given the small size and high speeds of drones, which cannot always be detected by radar. At the same time, the military authorities, according to the publication, avoid turning on electronic warfare equipment on a regular basis, as this may interfere with communications in adjacent urban areas.

The Izumo and Kaga helicopter carriers of the same type are the largest ships of the Japanese Navy, with a displacement of 19.5 thousand tons and a length of 248 m. Now they are capable of carrying 14 helicopters each, delivering 470 military personnel to the place of operations. Now these ships are being converted into light aircraft carriers, after modernization they will be able to receive 10 F-35B combat aircraft.