It calls for refurbishing the destroyer Izumo to accommodate such jets. Japan's government decided in December 2018 on the new National Defense Program Guidelines, under which Japan will introduce state-of-the-art F-35B stealth fighter jets that can take off from short runways on remote islands and aircraft carriers, and make vertical landings. The ships will need reinforced decks to withstand the heat blast from F-35 engines and could be fitted with ramps to aid short take-offs The navy's two large helicopter carriers, the Izumo and Kaga, will be modified to accommodate F-35B operations. The 248-meter- (814-ft.)long Izumo-class ships are as big as any of Japan's aircraft carriers in World War II.
