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 DSEi JAPAN SHOW PREVIEW

U.S. WEAPON-MAKERS LOOK TO

EXPAND JAPAN FOOTPRINT

With China’s growing might in the region causing Japan to shed F-35, guides aircraft onto carriers and amphib-
its reluctance to buy weapons that are offensive in nature, arms ious assault ships in all weather and surface
manufacturers around the globe, especially in the U.S., sense a conditions.
major opportunity.
In February this year, Japan Minister of Defence
The increase in the Japanese defence budget, which will see the Yasukazu Hamada said that the country plans
country move from ninth in the world in terms of defence spending to bulk-order Raytheon-made Tomahawk Block
to third behind the U.S. and China, is great news for US defence IV land attack missiles by March 2024. The mis-
contractors as the Asian country has traditionally relied on U.S. for siles have a range well in excess of 1,000 miles
missile defence as well for offensive capabilities. According to the and is expected to act as a deterrent to adver-
Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), the U.S. saries such as North Korea and China.
provided 97 percent of Japan’s defence equipment imports from
2016-2020. Apart from its greater range compared to
its predecessors, the Block IV missile can be
Japan plans to develop its own weapons, including advanced fighter directed at a new target in mid-flight and can
jets, hypersonic missiles, and armed drones, and will not shut its also transmit images of the battlefield to its
doors to other weapon makers. However, industry analysts believe launch platform. Once the contract is signed,
that the U.S. will continue to be the top supplier of arms the country Japan will become the second foreign user of
for the foreseeable future, mainly because of the close military ties the missile, after the Royal Navy. The planned
the two countries share and for military interoperability reasons. purchase of Tomahawks at a cost of 211.3 billion
yen (US$1.6 billion) comes in the backdrop of
Among the U.S companies that will benefit from Japan investing Japan canceling its domestic Aegis Ashore BMD
in new weapons are Lockheed Martin and Raytheon. Japan plans programme in 2020.
to buy Lockheed Martin’s Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile and
launch them from modified F-15s. The missile has a range of about
900 kilometers (560 miles). The country is also planning to acquire The missiles are expected to be deployed over
eight more F-35Bs, which are capable of short takeoffs and vertical two years from 2026 to 2027 on advanced Aegis
landing on ships, at a cost of US$1.08 billion; the deal is part of a radar-equipped destroyers with vertical launch
larger package of 65 F-35s it plans to acquire before 2027. Lockheed systems for ship-to-surface attacks.
Martin and Northrop Grumman will also provide technical support for
Japan’s development of the Mitsubishi F-X sixth-generation stealth In October last year, the U.S. approved a US$450
fighter next-generation fighter for the Japan Air Self-Defence Force million Foreign Military Sale of Standard Missile
(JASDF); the jet will replace the F-2 in the next decade. 6 (SM-6) Block I missiles and related equipment
to Japan. Raytheon Missiles and Defence (RMD),
In February, Raytheon Intelligence & Space was awarded a for- the principal contractor, will assemble the mis-
eign military sales contract by the U.S. Navy’s Naval Air Traffic siles while Aerojet Rocketdyne will manufacture
Management Systems Programme Office (PMA-213) to deliver the their propulsion systems. The SM-6 missiles are
Joint Precision Approach and Landing System (JPALS) to the Japan expected to improve Japan’s air defence and
Maritime Self-Defence Force. The system will be deployed on the ballistic missile defence capabilities against
JS Izumo, the JMSDF’s carrier. The JPALS, which is integrated on the potential adversaries in the region.
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