Japan's Ship Classification Gets too Clever by Half, and I like it.

we see what you did there. its ok

For a long time running, it has been an eye-rolling joke how off-the-rails, political, and nonsensical ship naming and classifications conventions have become.

The classic example is from many of the navies in Europe where everything has to be a frigate. Even when clearly some are destroyers or even light cruisers: frigate.

All over the place, civilian politicians who are high on the emotion and low on the reason scale of things—and are beset with almost no knowledge of sea power or naval history—think they can make everything soft-soft by not seeming too “belligerent” with their <checks notes> military. They are haunted by other generations’ ghosts and bad academic lounge thinking.

Whatever. It is all rather silly.

Alas, far too many are invested in this self-defeating and cringe-worthy approach to proper classification systems—or are just beset by ignorant habits. That means there is not much that can be done.

However, from Japan we have indications that, even in a small way, things might be turning in this area.

It may be almost a year old, but it is news to me. Via Yoshihiro Inaba at Naval News,

The Japanese Ministry of Defense has revised the hull classification symbols for Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) vessels effective October 2024. The change adds two new symbols, “CG” and “CVM,” which will be applied to upcoming ship types.

…

Until now, hull classification symbols have included general-purpose destroyer (DD), guided-missile destroyer (DDG), helicopter destroyer (DDH), as well as smaller coastal escort destroyer (DE) and multi-role frigates (FFM). Last year’s directive added two new symbols: “CG” and “CVM.” Naval News interviewed the JMSDF Office of Public Affairs to clarify what these new codes signify.

Oh. A PAO…this will be fun.

Even though some nations get fainting spells calling a ship that is clearly one a “destroyer”, calling a ship a “cruiser” seems almost impossible.

Japan is just shrugging at the old fears. Rightfully.

First, “CG” stands for “Cruiser Guided-missile” — a guided-missile cruiser — and will be applied to the Aegis system-equipped vessels (ASEV) scheduled to enter service in 2027 and 2028.

Good for them. Our USN’s white elephant Zumwalt Class DDG should have been designated CA as an attack cruiser, and our Flight III DDG should be CG…so Japan steals a march on us here.

As a side-note, the ASEV is going to be 14,000 tons…so yes, that’s a cruiser. Heck, the TICONDEROGA CG was only 9,800 tons. The pocket battleship Graf Spee was 14,800 tons.

When it comes to their “DDH” that’s where they get too clever. Yes, a Japanese Navy with carriers will have some eyes twitching, but not here. I want them to have more of them, and larger ones.

Their latest class, the IZUMO with its sister ship KAGA, are clearly light carriers, AKA CVL. When I saw “CVM” I thought they would try something new as in “multi-purpose aircraft carrier, CVM.”

Well, I was close.

The other new symbol, “CVM,” at first glance appears analogous to U.S. Navy nomenclature and might be read as a “multi-purpose aircraft carrier.” However, the JMSDF Office of Public Affairs says the acronym expands to “Cruiser Voler Multipurpose,” and in Japanese the type is being called 航空機搭載多機能護衛艦 — literally, an “aircraft-carrying multi-role cruiser.”

…

The lead ship of the Izumo-class, Izumo, entered service in 2015, and the second ship, Kaga, entered service in 2017; both were originally operated as helicopter destroyers (DDH). However, modifications carried out from fiscal 2020 onward added the capability to operate the F-35B short-takeoff/vertical-landing (STOVL) fixed-wing fighter, and that operational change has led to the assignment of the new CVM classification.

As for the “Cruiser” element of CVM, JMSDF officials explained that the term replaces “Destroyer” to reflect the larger hull size compared with conventional destroyers. The middle term “Voler” is the French verb meaning “to fly,” and was chosen to indicate the vessel’s capability to operate aircraft, including fixed-wing types.

OK, fine. If that is what you need to do for PR/PAO reasons. It will make the French happy, for once, perhaps.

More. Larger. Faster.