Talk:Summer 2014 Event/@comment-9676492-20140805083532/@comment-24332640-20140805095525

You're not entirely wrong. There isn't a whole lot of difference between these destroyers and mini "Harrier carriers" like the British Invincible class. If I recall, Japan building these ships was fairly controversial. Though there official role is to be equipped with helicopters for ASW operations--and as far as I know that's all they've been used for--but they could theoretically be equipped with more attack-oriented STOVL aircraft, etc.