Yamato-Class Guided-Missile Battleship

The ***Yamato*-Class Guided-Missile Battleship** is a warship to be used by the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force. It will be the first battleship of the JMSDF after World War 2 and the only operational guided-missile battleship, although three more ships are planned.

The design will be based on the *Yamato*-Class Battleships, with some elements are modernized.

## Description

The ship is the former Grade Atlastar battleship of the Gra Valkas Empire that was captured by the JMSDF during the Great Naval Invasion of Japan. Despite that the ship suffered heavy damages from 235 shot from the 127 mm (5")/54 caliber Mark 45 gun from the JMSDF destroyers and 6 Type-12 Surface-to-Ship Missiles, the ship still afloat.

The wreckage of the *Grade Atlastar* was towed back to Kure City, Hiroshima Prefecture for investigation. Under a recommendation of a high-ranking politician whose father once served in the *Yamato* and holds a strong political position in Japan, he decided to make a proposal to the Ministry of Defense to remodel and modernize the *Grade Atlastar*. Once remodeled it would turn the wreckage into a guided-missile Battleship outfitted with AEGIS System, guided missiles, and advanced armor while retaining the engine and some part that is deemed necessary. With the modernized battleship, he hoped Japan could achieve better peace by having an intimidating *Yamato* battleship once again to dissuade future hostilities. He also proposed the name of the new battleship as *Yamato*, to honor the Japanese Navy's strongest Battleship in World War II with a purpose as a symbol of power and to deter other countries.

**“Huh??? No matter how much that ship is modified, its layout is ancient! It would be far, far cheaper to manufacture new escort ships than modifying that single ship. Remaking all the destroyed parts on it would also be a money sink! No matter how you look at it, it’s virtually impossible!”** - An argument against the idea of building battleship by a member of the ATLA.

The Ministry of Defense later proposes this to JSDF and National Diet but meet with a lot of resistance as a lot of officials and especially people from Acquisition, Technology and Logistics Agency who deems it is more better to build aircraft carriers, more escort ships or more advanced missiles than wasting tax money on a relic of WW2.

## Specification

* **Full length:** 263 m
* **Max. Width:** 38.9 m
* **Displacement:** 73,000 tons
* **Speed:** 31.5 knots
* **Sensors and Processing System:** AEGIS Combat System and AEGIS Ballistic Missile Defense System
* **Armament:**
	+ Phalanx CIWS
	+ Mk. 41 VLS
	+ Torpedoes
	+ Box launchers
	+ Oto Melara 127/64
	+ 46cm Rail Gun with guided artillery shell (planned)
	+ Laser Weapons System (planned)
* **Aircraft carried:** ASW helicopter
* **Aviation facilities:** Flight deck and enclosed hangar for helicopters
* **Power Plant:** Nuclear Reactor (Planned, primary), Steam Turbines (Planned, Secondary)

## Analysis

Like the Pal Chimera, a weapon of terror for inspire shock and awe on less developed nations by sheer size. If a politician think that others don't respect Japan enough, a well planned propaganda campaign showing videos of the SDF sinking hundreds of Gra Valkas Empire warships will do the trick faster and cheaper. From a diplomatic point of view, Japan can't have deterrence from war without showing off some of his cards. From a military point of view, the fact is that most of the damage in the war was done by bombers.

Critics in the National Diet may argue that a better way to expend the extra budget will be:

### 1 - Intelligence Agency. Probably favored by moderate politicians.

After entering their third war in the new world is evident that Japan need to create an Intelligence Agency. Currently Japan seems to be limited to satellite photos and ask questions to friendly countries like Mu. This is a legacy from Earth when most of the security could be delegated to USA.

* Human intelligence (Humint) can be as simple as recruit locals and traveling merchants until proper spies are trained.
* Surveillance, just having a few listening devices planted in embassies of other countries can give a huge advantage to Japanese diplomats during negotiations.
* Black Ops: sabotage, assassinations, kidnaping, extractions... Earth's preferred choice for thwart development of WMDs and their delivery systems for the "plausible deniability" factor.
* Signal Intelligence (Sigint), given how one of the main reasons why Japan lost in WWII was due to USA intercepting and cracking japanese coded communications. This is a no brainer.
* Counter Intelligence, given how anyone can visit Japan for buy books and magazines describing SDF weapons in detail, forbidding diplomats from revealing information that can avoid a war and release hostages is bewildering. A particular risk is the possibility of having politicians or bureaucrats bribed or "honey trapped".
* Intelligence sharing, an agreement with trusted allies like Earth's famous "Five Eyes" (USA, UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand) can increase the odds of avoid a crisis or manage it better.

### 2 - Nuclear deterrence. Probably favored by right-wing politicians.

Earth's ultimate deterrence against open total war. It doesn't work unless Japan demonstrate that it can nuke an enemy capital several thousands of miles away with absolute impunity. An ICBM nuking a deserted island in front of representatives of the main powers and declaring that is a last resort (Ultima Ratio) against the Ravernal Empire can be a good idea.

### 3 - Soft Power. Probably favored by left-wing politicians.

Show that Japan is strong don't need to be limited to the military, it require think out of the box. For example increase the budget of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and build very tall Japanese embassies in the capital of other countries. The empty space can be rented to Japanese companies selling the more advanced Japanese products, services and culture. On Earth, China built a prefabricated hospital in five days, build fast add to the woo factor. There is no better symbol of a country wealth and high-tech than a skyscraper.

### 4 - More advanced missiles and Battle Data Link. Probably favored by budget worried politicians.

In few words argue that modular is better than fixed because having to build an entire new warship or aircraft just because a fixed sensor or weapon become obsolete is nuts. Also can be seen as a defense of the aircraft carrier, because carriers are inherently more modular by just changing the aircrafts.

A transport that can be quickly weaponized fall in a gray zone that can be exploited. For example Japan can sell obsolete used transports (C-130 and C-1) to trusted allies like Mu at a discount with the condition that in the event of war Japan can borrow the planes. This way Japan can get a reserve fleet of makeshift bomber almost for free. Without the risk of giving high-tech weapons to other countries and other countries can contribute to Japan's defense without getting officially involved in the war.

## Service History in the JMSDF

*Yamato* is planned to be put on service with three more ships are planned.

## Trivia

* It is revealed that Japan has lost all the data regarding the *Yamato* design after WW2.