Page 9 - ADT MARCH / APRIL 2024 Digital Magazine | GBP

Okinawa and Miyako islands, Making Progress Boeing F/A-18E/F strike fighters
located in the southeasternmost Arguably the most exciting devel- are certificated to deploy LRASMs.
part of the island country. During opment in recent times is Lockheed Lockheed Martin is working to get
the US-led Talisman Sabre mil- Martin’s progress with its stealthy approval for deployment of the
itary exercise in July 2023, the Long-Range Anti-Ship Missile missile on its F-35 fighter and the
Japanese military test-fired its (LRASM); U.S. Navy considers the Boeing P-8 maritime patrol air-
Type-12 anti-ship, an enhanced missile the most urgently needed craft. It is also exploring the use of
version of its indigenous Type-88 anti-ship weapon system. in April HIMARS mobile-missile launchers
surface-launched anti-ship cruise this year, the company and the U.S. to launch LRASMs; the pairing is
missile. Navy recently test fired four of the likely to prove effective in a range
ship-killing weapons, which can of scenarios, including conventional
In view of the looming threat from be air-launched or fired from naval and asymmetric warfare.
China, Japan is also reportedly surface ships and ground-based
expediting the planned deploy- systems, simultaneously. Planning Ahead
ment of an improved version of Such are the capabilities of the
its SSM-2 anti-ship missile for the missile that U.S. Navy the next iter-
Type 12 system. In June last year, The U.S. Navy took delivery of the ation of the missile is already part of
Kawasaki Heavy Industries was first LRASM in 2018, and low-rate the service’s plans. LRASM C-3 is
awarded 33.9 billion yen (US$243 production has been ongoing since expected to have extended range,
million) to research anti-ship mis- then even as Lockheed Martin advanced survivability and beyond
sile technology. The country is also works to add extra capabilities, line-of-sight communications.
eyeing a mix of land-attack and including making it more auton- “We have continued to
anti-ship Tomahawks and plans to omous. Lockheed Martin, which
soon begin training its personnel to makes the Long-Range Anti-Ship invest in the design and
operate the missiles. Missile (LRASM) and the Joint Air to development of LRASM’s
Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM),
has opened a second production anti-surface warfare
The country is also reportedly expe- line to meet the increased demand capabilities to ensure
diting the planned deployment of an for the missiles. The company
improved version of its SSM-2 anti- intends to double production, from that warfighters have
ship missile for the Type 12 system, about 500 combined LRASM and the 21st century security
which is developed by Mitsubishi JASSM missiles, to over 1,000. solutions they need to
Heavy Industries and in service with According to budget justification
the Japan Ground Self-Defense documents, the Navy intends to buy complete their missions
Force since 2012. Initially planned 585 LRASM missiles in fiscal 2024- and come home safely,”
to be deployed in fiscal year 2028, bringing the total number to
2026, the SSM-3 will significantly 833. says Lisbeth Vogelpohl, LRASM
enhanced reach compared to the program director at Lockheed
SSM-2 and will provide the service Martin Missiles and Fire Control.
the ability to effectively target adver- Currently, the US Air Force’s Boeing
sary missile launch sites. B-1B heavy bomber as well as navy
War games conducted by
the Center for Strategic and
International Studies in 2022, in
which 450 Long Range Anti-Ship
Missiles (LRASM) and 400 Harpoon
anti-ship missiles were among the
missiles used, revealed that an
adequate supply of LRASMs, which
are currently serving with the U.S.
Navy, the U.S. Air Force, and the
Royal Australian Navy, would be of
critical importance to defend Taiwan
against such an invasion. Long-
range bombers armed with LRASM
would prove particularly effective in
keeping Chinese warships at bay,
ASIAN DEFENCE TECHNOLOGY MARCH - APRIL 2024 | 9