Our Bureau
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: Mar 17, 2023 -
: 4:26 am
Kawasaki Heavy Industry (KHI) has unveiled a concept model of a long-range surface launched cruise missile.
“The ‘island defence anti-ship missile’ is in its R&D stage. We have proposed the concept to the (Japan’s) Ministry of Defence, and there is a good response to it. We will start the next stage of production once we get the go-ahead from the government,” Satoshi Hamada, manager, defence systems section, at Kawasaki Heavy Industries informed.
The missile is in the making for the past five years and features large wings, four tail fins and has the engine intake below the airframe. “The state-of-the-art design and use of composite materials is meant to give the missile sophisticated stealth capabilities,” Hamada said.
The subsonic cruise missile will be powered by the KHI’s newly developed KJ300 twin spool turbofan engine. The totally indigenous missile is expected to have a range of 1000 kilometres, and aims for low radar cross section, and high maneuverability, as well as high survivability in order to avoid interception by enemy air defence systems, she said.
“In the first stage, it is designed as a surface launched missile, but if the need arises we may have a ship launched and air launched derivatives,” Hamada explained.
Japan has been reinforcing its capability to enable operation of stand-off missiles including surface-launched and ship-launched models, and the government has been encouraging local private companies to secure sufficient capability toward increased production of domestic stand-off missile.
To this end, by FY2027, Japan has decided to reinforce the capabilities of warning and control radar and surface-to-air missiles.
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