The Japanese aircraft carrier Kaga was a significant naval vessel built for the Imperial Japanese Navy, originally conceived as a Tosa-class battleship before being converted into an aircraft carrier under the Washington Naval Treaty. Laid down in 1921 at Kawasaki Heavy Industries in Kobe and launched on November 17, 1921, she was officially commissioned in 1928. Kaga measured approximately 238.5 meters in overall length, with a beam of 31.67 meters and a full load displacement of around 33,693 long tons, making her nearly 6,000 tons lighter than her original battleship design. Her crew numbered roughly 1,340 personnel. Kaga's design featured a distinctive three-flight-deck configuration—an unusual feature shared only with Akagi—comprising a main flight deck of 171.2 meters, a middle deck of about 15 meters, and a lower deck of roughly 55 meters. Her initial aircraft complement included torpedo bombers, fighters, and reconnaissance aircraft, with a capacity of about 60 aircraft. The ship was armed with ten 20 cm (7.9 inch) guns, though her main armament was primarily for surface defense and did not emphasize anti-aircraft firepower initially. Her armor was limited, with deck armor reduced during reconstruction and a waterline armored belt of 152 mm after her mid-1930s modernization. Kaga underwent two major reconstructions, first between 1933 and 1935, and again from 1934 to 1935, significantly enlarging her flight decks and aircraft capacity to up to 90 planes. During her service, she played a crucial role in Japan’s carrier doctrine development, supporting military operations from China to the Pacific during the 1930s and early World War II. She participated in key battles, including the attack on Pearl Harbor, the invasion of Rabaul, and the Indian Ocean raid. Her most notable engagement was at Midway in June 1942. During this battle, Kaga was hit by multiple bombs from US aircraft, leading to catastrophic fires and explosions. She was ultimately scuttled by her own destroyers to prevent capture, marking a significant Japanese naval loss. Her wreck was located in 2019 at a depth of about 18,000 feet, lying upright with extensive damage, and remains a poignant symbol of Japan’s naval history and the pivotal Battle of Midway.

This description has been generated using GPT-4.1-NANO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.