Japan is set to expand its ballistic missile defense capabilities with Japanese Prime Minister
Shinzo Abe’s Cabinet approving the procurement of two land-based Aegis Ashore missile defense
systems on December 19.
The two Aegis Ashore batteries, the land-based variant of the Aegis combat system, will strengthen
Japanese defenses against China’s and North Korea’s growing ballistic and cruise missile
arsenals.
The government plans to deploy the two batteries by 2023 but has yet to make a decision on
the locations of the new missile defense systems.
This is in response to North Korea’s nuclear and missile development programs that pose
a particular threat to Japan’s national security.
Japanese Minister of Defense Itsunori Onodera told reporters in Tokyo , “North Korea’s
nuclear missile development poses a new level of threat to Japan and as we have done in
the past we will ensure that we are able to defend ourselves with a drastic improvement
in ballistic missile defense”.
The cost for the 2 Aegis Ashore missile defense systems could exceed $2 billion.
Onodera added: “We cannot say what the final costs will be, but we will move ahead to introduce
Aegis Ashore on the fastest possible schedule, given public calls that the government should
deal as swiftly and urgently as possible with the ballistic missile defense issue”.
In this video, Defense Updates analyses WHY U.S MADE AEGIS ASHORE MISSILE DEFENSE SYSTEMS
CAN HELP JAPAN DEFEND AGAINST NORTH KOREAN MISSILES?
This year has been an extraordinary year for North Korea.
It finally achieved regime’s dream going back decades: establishing direct nuclear
deterrence with the United States, it already had missile capable of targeting Japan.
Despite sanctions, North Korea pushed on and became the first rogue state to acquire a
functional nuclear intercontinental ballistic missile as well as a powerful nuke.
Japan is a pacifist country - at least according to its constitution.
Article 9, introduced under the occupying forces after the Second World War, seems unequivocal:
"The Japanese people forever renounce war and the threat or use of force."
But new laws introduced by conservative Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will allow a broader interpretation
of what the constitution does, and does not, permit - so-called “ proactive pacifism”.
Japan’s stance is slowing changing to meet keeping in view the ever increasing threats
from North Korea and up-to some extent from China.
The Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense System is a United States Department of Defense (DoD),
Missile Defense Agency program developed to provide missile defense against short to intermediate-range
ballistic missiles.
Aegis BMD is designed to intercept ballistic missiles post-boost phase and prior to reentry.
It enables Aegis equipped vessels like Arleigh Burke Class Destroyers to shoot down enemy
ballistic missiles by expanding the Aegis Combat System with the addition of the AN/SPY-1
radar and Standard missile technologies.
Aegis Ashore, is the land variant of the system.
Basic concept and technology remains same,it is only that it deployed as missile defense
site, instead of being deployed in surface vessels.
The first site to be declared operational was in Romania in 2016.
The Japanese government concluded in an in-depth study earlier this year that the Aegis Ashore
system is more cost effective for missile defense than THAAD.
The heart of the AEGIS systems is an automatic detect and track, multifunctional phased-array
radar, the AN/SPY-1.
This high-powered 4 MW radar is able to perform search, track and missile guidance functions
simultaneously with a capability of over 100 targets.
A conventional, mechanically rotating radar "sees" a target when the radar beam strikes
that target once during each 360-degree rotation of the antenna.
A separate tracking radar is then required to engage each target.
By contrast, the computer-controlled AN/SPY-1A Phased Array Radar of the AEGIS system brings
these functions together within one system.
The phased array can concentrate energy where it is needed.
The operator can boost the range and resolution in a particular direction without blinding
the ship to threats from another side.
The 4 fixed arrays of "SPY" send out beams of electromagnetic energy in all directions
simultaneously, continuously providing a search and tracking capability for hundreds of target
at the same time.
This radar is expected to track enemy aircrafts from as far as 300 km.
The Aegis Ashore batteries will be armed with SM-6 interceptors and SM-3 Block IIA interceptors.
Manufactured by U.S. defense contractor Raytheon, SM-6 is a supersonic Mach 3.5+ missile interceptor
with an estimated range of over 180 miles or 289 kilometers.
The SM-3 Block IIA has been under joint development by Raytheon and Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
since 2006.
It is designed to destroy short-to intermediate-range ballistic missile threats.
SM-3 Block IIA interceptors have extended range of 2,500 km or 1,350 miles.
The Aegis Ashore sites would supplement Patriot batteries capable of engaging short- and medium-range
ballistic missiles in their terminal phase and Aegis-equipped guided-missile destroyers,
of which the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) currently operates four, a number
that is expected to increase to eight in the future.
If the system operated as promised, sensors would track incoming missiles throughout their
launch and flight and would be able to take them out in the sky with the interceptor missile.
The concept is similar to hitting a bullet with another bullet and is very complicated.
Test results outcomes have been mixed, with some success.
In order for either SM-6 interceptors and SM-3 Block IIA missile to intercept a North
Korean ballistic missile, the Aegis combat system would have to start tracking the missile
in its ascent phase and launch interceptors before it overflies the Aegis ashore site.
This all depends on the early detection of the missile.
Early detection also enables multiple shots for each incoming missile , that increases
the probability of successful intercept.