The Izumo was an Izumo-class helicopter destroyer built by Japan and assigned to the Seventh Fleet of Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force. It had a full-load displacement of 27,000 tonnes and a crew of 520.
Early in its service, the Izumo carried shipborne helicopters, antisubmarine reconnaissance aircraft, minesweeping transports, and the like. After later modifications by Eagle Country, however, its deck and hangar could accommodate fourteen F-35s, fighters capable of vertical takeoff and landing, at once. Japan's boasting thus earned the Izumo the title of "quasi-aircraft carrier."
The Izumo's construction and subsequent conversion costs, together with its onboard F-35 squadron, exceeded a full three billion Green Coins.
With Eagle Country also maintaining a permanent military presence in Japan, the Izumo was frequently invited to join the First Carrier Battle Group of Eagle Country's Third Fleet for joint exercises, serving in an antisubmarine role.
It had appeared near Eagle Country's west coast this time because it had just completed the latest joint exercise and had also received orders from the Pentagon to join this emergency interception mission, hurrying over with the Third Fleet's carrier battle group.
But when he learned that the target they needed to intercept was actually a humanoid wearable weapon, Izu Taro, the Izumo's captain, who was speaking with an Eagle Country observer in the island's command room, immediately froze for a moment.
"Major Gis, did you say a humanoid wearable weapon?"
"Can I take that to mean some kind of exoskeleton, or a mech like those in films and television?" Izu Taro looked stunned. Watching data links from the Pentagon constantly stream onto the command room's projection screen, he showed a measure of disbelief.
On the sonar grid displayed on the three-dimensional tactical screen before Izu Taro, a green dot so small it could almost be ignored was