JAPAN / 日本

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xav
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Re: JAPAN / 日本

Post by xav »

Not surprising (at all) but it is now semi official

USMC to Fly First F-35B from Japan’s Izumo-class Aircraft Carriers
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U.S. Marine Corps' F-35B STOVL fighters will be the first fixed wing aircraft to fly from Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) Izumo-class "helicopter destroyers", following the conversion of both JS Izumo and JS Kaga into aircraft carriers.
https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/20 ... -carriers/

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Tempest414
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Re: JAPAN / 日本

Post by Tempest414 »

this is interesting as the UAMC have already said they are going to use one of there F-35b squadrons primary rolled to the UK QE class

Lord Jim
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Re: JAPAN / 日本

Post by Lord Jim »

It will probably be one of the F-35B units the USMC will have on Okinawa.

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Re: JAPAN / 日本

Post by Blackstone »

The Japan Times is reporting about a move towards a new joint US-Japan radar program. The goal appears to be to produce a radar to fit the AMDR-X requirement, that portion of the original Air and Missile Defense Radar program having been delayed indefinitely as a cost-saving measure during Sequestration.
The new radar system, anticipated to provide 360 degree surveillance on the warships, is expected to be the next pillar of the nation’s defense collaboration with Washington.

Two different types of air and missile defense radar are planned for the warships in the future, including the AN/SPY-6 — an upgraded radar system suitable for detecting high-altitude threats. The AN/SPY-6 system is on schedule to be delivered starting in 2020.

Currently the AN/SPQ-9B system is used to detect and track low-flying threats, but it is a traditional rotating radar that makes blind spots unavoidable.

The new radar eyed for development by Japan and the United States will be a nonrotating system, according to the sources.
Also notable in this article is that it mentions future warships using AN/SPY-6 but not Lockheed's LRDR, which uses Fujitsu components and won the contract for Japan's Aegis Ashore site. It's very possible to read too much into that, but it's not hard to imagine the next generation of Japanese combatants following the USN's example and using an AMDR suite that includes SPY-6 alongside this new radar.

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xav
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Re: JAPAN / 日本

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US approves sale of SM-3 Block IIA ABM Interceptors to Japan
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The U.S. State Department approved a possible Foreign Military Sale to Japan of up to 73 Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) Block IIA missiles for an estimated cost of $3.295 billion.

These missiles are likely intended to be fitted on the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) Aegis destroyers such as the four Kongo-class, the two Atago-class or the future two Maya-class of destroyers.

These missile could also be deployed from the Aegis Ashore system recently procured by Japan. The U.S. Department of State approved the sale of two such batteries to Japan in January. They will be installed in Akita and Yamaguchi prefectures and are set to be operational from 2025.
...
The SM-3 Block IIA is designed to destroy SRBM (short range ballistic missile) and IRBM (intermediate-range ballistic missiles). It is a joint development project started in 2006 by Raytheon and Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.

Compared to previous variant of the missile (like the SM-3 Block IB), the Block II1 variant features a larger rocket motor and a larger kinetic interceptor.
https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/20 ... -to-japan/

abc123
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Re: JAPAN / 日本

Post by abc123 »

OMFG, the cost of these missiles? Are they made of gold and diamonds? :cry:
It's cheaper to be nuked... :?

45 mil. USD per missile
Fortune favors brave sir, said Carrot cheerfully.
What's her position about heavily armed, well prepared and overmanned armies?
Oh, noone's ever heard of Fortune favoring them, sir.
According to General Tacticus, it's because they favor themselves…

Lord Jim
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Re: JAPAN / 日本

Post by Lord Jim »

As for the cost of the missile, basically yes. Hence why they are reserved solely for ABM work and we have the cheaper SM-6 as the next gen AAW missile.

abc123
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Re: JAPAN / 日本

Post by abc123 »

Seems as damn cheap:

And should the budget pass, Kawasaki Heavy Industries will be able to keep its aircraft production lines open, with the ministry seeking funds to acquire three more P-1 anti-submarine aircraft and six C-2 airlifters at $213.4 million and $599 million respectively.

https://www.defensenews.com/global/asia ... 5-billion/
Fortune favors brave sir, said Carrot cheerfully.
What's her position about heavily armed, well prepared and overmanned armies?
Oh, noone's ever heard of Fortune favoring them, sir.
According to General Tacticus, it's because they favor themselves…

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Re: JAPAN / 日本

Post by Lord Jim »

That is quite an impressive shopping list.

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Re: JAPAN / 日本

Post by donald_of_tokyo »

In the "proposal budget = shopping list", it says as follows. Please note this will see cut from Treasury before being a "final proposal". Not sure how much will survive (typically 10-20% less, in my impression).

see https://www.mod.go.jp/j/yosan/2020/gaisan.pdf
(but in Japanese. Note "gaisan" means "temporal sum")

----------------- items took my eye -------------

- 3x P-1 with 632e8 yen = $596M
- 6-sets of engines for C-2 $215M. Not airframe.(*1)

- 6x F35B with $798M (+$200M initial cost, separately needed)
- 3x F35A with $300M (+$450M logistic-related cost (not only for this 3), separately needed)
- 4X KC-46A with $1060M.

- 2x FFM frigate with $890M
- 1x SSK with $660M

Also proposing to
- allocated $300M to buy SM-3 (no number specified. Surely not for "73 missiles")
- develop modified version of ASM3 with $150M (*2)

Note again, this is proposed budget. In general, we will see some cuts before finally fixed.
---------------
*1: In 2019budget, they state, "airframe without engine is $154M each (for 2 unit/yr order), which means engines for 2 unit amounts to $110M. 6-unit equivalent engines for $215M is in line with this value. I guess, 2-units of C-2 are to be ordered in FY2019 supplement budget (they do the same, last year).

*2: Original XASM3 development was concluded but not went into production. They say modification is aiming at longer range, from ~200 km to ~400km (number is just rumor)

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Re: JAPAN / 日本

Post by ArmChairCivvy »

xav wrote:missiles are likely intended to be fitted on the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) Aegis destroyers such as the four Kongo-class, the two Atago-class or the future two Maya-class of destroyers.
Looks like the next Battle of Tsusima https://imgr.cliqz.com/pQgfBbLx-MFxeva9 ... LnBuZw.png
will not involve doing a Nelson's T, but a thin red line of ABM destroyers?
Ever-lasting truths: Multi-year budgets/ planning by necessity have to address the painful questions; more often than not the Either-Or prevails over Both-And.
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Re: JAPAN / 日本

Post by Timmymagic »

abc123 wrote:OMFG, the cost of these missiles? Are they made of gold and diamonds?
It's cheaper to be nuked...

45 mil. USD per missile
Whenever someone says that T45 will get used for BMD I remember the unit cost of an SM-3 and have a wry smile...SM-6 is almost $5m per missile as well.

The only chance of T45 doing BMD is if the Aster-30 NT is substantially cheaper...

donald_of_tokyo
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Re: JAPAN / 日本

Post by donald_of_tokyo »

Timmymagic wrote:
abc123 wrote:OMFG, the cost of these missiles? Are they made of gold and diamonds?
It's cheaper to be nuked...

45 mil. USD per missile
Whenever someone says that T45 will get used for BMD I remember the unit cost of an SM-3 and have a wry smile...SM-6 is almost $5m per missile as well.
The only chance of T45 doing BMD is if the Aster-30 NT is substantially cheaper...
But, ballistic missile and hyper-sonic missile are also very expensive (even super-sonic missiles are so-so expensive).
- Using expensive SM3 against expensive ballistic missile.
- Using so-so expensive Aster-NT against expensive hyper-sonic missile, and
- using cheaper CAMM against cheaper Mach-3 level and subsonic missile.
It is not that badly balanced, I guess?

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Re: JAPAN / 日本

Post by Timmymagic »

donald_of_tokyo wrote:But, ballistic missile and hyper-sonic missile are also very expensive (even super-sonic missiles are so-so expensive).
- Using expensive SM3 against expensive ballistic missile.
- Using so-so expensive Aster-NT against expensive hyper-sonic missile, and
- using cheaper CAMM against cheaper Mach-3 level and subsonic missile.
It is not that badly balanced, I guess?
It's more that the RN has no budget for $45m a piece missiles for at least the next 10 years...
Faced with a choice of buying 1 x SM-3 or 40 odd TLAM I suspect the RN will go for TLAM.

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Re: JAPAN / 日本

Post by ArmChairCivvy »

Timmymagic wrote:Faced with a choice of buying 1 x SM-3 or 40 odd TLAM I suspect the RN will go for TLAM.
I agree: we prefer to level mud huts, and shy away from (=use diplomacy) to deal with the hard/ existential threats.
Ever-lasting truths: Multi-year budgets/ planning by necessity have to address the painful questions; more often than not the Either-Or prevails over Both-And.
If everyone is thinking the same, then someone is not thinking (attributed to Patton)

donald_of_tokyo
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Re: JAPAN / 日本

Post by donald_of_tokyo »

Timmymagic wrote:
donald_of_tokyo wrote:But, ballistic missile and hyper-sonic missile are also very expensive (even super-sonic missiles are so-so expensive).
- Using expensive SM3 against expensive ballistic missile.
- Using so-so expensive Aster-NT against expensive hyper-sonic missile, and
- using cheaper CAMM against cheaper Mach-3 level and subsonic missile.
It is not that badly balanced, I guess?
It's more that the RN has no budget for $45m a piece missiles for at least the next 10 years...
Faced with a choice of buying 1 x SM-3 or 40 odd TLAM I suspect the RN will go for TLAM.
It is just a matter of choice, I agree.

If RN is coming to east Asia, China can sink QNLZ with only a single anti-ship ballistic missile, if the RN-lead CVTF does not have support from USN or JMSDF. But, when the RN interest of region is not within the range of those anti-ship ballistic missile, RN do not need it.

We in Japan do not have TLAM, and spending big money on ballistic missile defense, looking at North Korean threat. With different situation, priority naturally differs.

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Re: JAPAN / 日本

Post by Lord Jim »

The UK should go along the Aster-NT route to get the most out of the T-45s Sea Viper system.

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Re: JAPAN / 日本

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US Army, JGSDF Conduct First Anti-Ship Exercise in Japan
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The Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) and the US Army conducted their first ever combined anti-ship drills in Japan, as part of the annual Orient Shield exercise, according to pictures released by the US Army Japan press office.
...
As an artillery system, HIMARS can not target ships directly but may be used as decoy (to saturate and consume enemy air defense weapons) before Type 12 missile system attacks. Obviously, flight profiles are different between surface-to-ship missiles and rocket, and well trained ship crews should be able to differentiate between the SSM and the rocket acting as a decoy.
https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/20 ... -in-japan/

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Re: JAPAN / 日本

Post by Lord Jim »

The picture is of the Type 12 AShM launcher. HIMARS would be an effective weapon against hostile amphibious landing, making the beaches extremely unfriendly to sunbathers who are there without permission.

Ares
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Re: JAPAN / 日本

Post by Ares »

https://www.navalnews.com/event-news/pa ... f-frigate/

Thanks again, Mr.Xavier for covering Mitsubishi's next-generation warship family!

FMF-AW really intrigues me, is this second or third batch of 30FFM program? or a potential candidate for 04DD which will replace the Murasame class destroyers? Is that an extended module version of 30FFM's X-band radar? Will JMSDF eventually approve the acquisition of this design? So many questions. :?:

Image

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Re: JAPAN / 日本

Post by abc123 »

xav wrote: US Army, JGSDF Conduct First Anti-Ship Exercise in Japan
Image
The Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) and the US Army conducted their first ever combined anti-ship drills in Japan, as part of the annual Orient Shield exercise, according to pictures released by the US Army Japan press office.
...
As an artillery system, HIMARS can not target ships directly but may be used as decoy (to saturate and consume enemy air defense weapons) before Type 12 missile system attacks. Obviously, flight profiles are different between surface-to-ship missiles and rocket, and well trained ship crews should be able to differentiate between the SSM and the rocket acting as a decoy.
https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/20 ... -in-japan/

Announcing it like this sorta defeats the purpose of the excercise... :clap:
Fortune favors brave sir, said Carrot cheerfully.
What's her position about heavily armed, well prepared and overmanned armies?
Oh, noone's ever heard of Fortune favoring them, sir.
According to General Tacticus, it's because they favor themselves…

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Re: JAPAN / 日本

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xav
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Re: JAPAN / 日本

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Kawasaki Launched the 12th & Final Sōryū-class SSK JS Tōryū とうりゅう – 2nd Li-Ion Submarine for JMSDF
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Japan's shipbuilder Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI) launched the 12th and final Soryu-class diesel-electric attack submarine (SSK) for the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF). JS Tōryū (とうりゅう) SS-512 is the second submarine of the class to feature Li-Ion batteries.
https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/20 ... for-jmsdf/

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Re: JAPAN / 日本

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KONGSBERG awarded follow-on JSM contract with Japan
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Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace has entered into a follow-on contract with Japan to supply the JSM (Joint Strike Missile) for their fleet of F-35 fighter aircraft. The contract is valued 450 MNOK.

This latest announcement follows an initial contract signed earlier this year between Kongsberg and Japan to supply the initial deliveries of JSM.

The JSM is a 5th generation stealth air-to surface missile that can be carried internally in the F-35 thus ensuring the aircraft’s low-signature capabilities. The JSM has superior performance against well-defended sea- and land targets across long distances.
https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/20 ... ith-japan/

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Re: JAPAN / 日本

Post by Ares »

JGSDF selected their new rifle and pistol;

Candidate for the new rifle - H&K 416, SCAR-L, Howa's new 5.56mm rifle
Winner - Howa's new rifle

Candidate for the new pistol - H&K SFP9, Beretta APX, Glock 17
Winner - H&K SFP9

https://www.mod.go.jp/j/press/news/2019/12/06b.html

Here's the new rifle drawing on the patent registered by Howa Industries. It is expected to be named Type 20 rifle.

Image

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