Japanese Navy (JMSDF) : Updates and Discussions

Japan to Build Two 20,000-ton Missile Defense Warships, Indian Carrier Commissions​

By: Dzirhan Mahadzir September 6, 2022 4:43 PM​



JS Maya(DDG-179) in Port of Kobe, Japan on Nov. 23, 2020. JMSDF Photo​

Japan’s Ministry of Defence is proposing to build a pair of ballistic missile defense ships – the among largest warships in the Japanese inventory since World War II – government officials said last week.
The Ministry of Defense listed design expenses and engines for the two Aegis BMD ships among 100 items requested that did not have a specific cost at the time of the budget rollout as part of its FY23 budget request. The Ministry of Defense requested $39.7 billion in spending for the next fiscal year, which exceeds the FY 2022 budget of $38.4 billion.
The two ships would be built instead of the land-based Aegis Ashore installations that the Japanese Self-Defence Force backed away from in 2020 based on risks of missile debris falling to the ground, USNI News reported at the time.
“In view of the cost and time [necessary] for the deployment, we will halt the process,” then-Minster of Defense Taro Kono told reporters, according to Kyodo News.
“For the time being, we’ll maintain our missile defense capability by Aegis-equipped destroyers.”
The two Aegis destroyers are expected to have a displacement of around 20,000 tons with a length of 690 feet and a beam of around 130 feet, making them one of the largest and heaviest ship that the JMSDF will operate. In comparison the Izumo class helicopter destroyers have a displacement 19,800 tons (27,000 tons with a full load) with a length of 800 feet and a beam of 124 feet while Japan’s largest destroyers are the Maya class destroyers, which have a displacement of 8200 tons and a beam of 22.2 meters.
The ships are to have a crew of 110 personnel with personnel accommodations being enhanced to enable long deployments on station around Japan. The Ministry of Defense is likely pushing for the first ship to be commissioned in 2027, with the second in 2028, USNI News understands.
In a news conference on Friday, current Japan Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada said that two new ships would relieve the burden of the BMD task on Japan’s current eight Aegis destroyers, which would then be free to act as a deterrence against maritime incursions in the southwest of Japan.
The current eight JMSDF Aegis destroyers consist of two Maya–class, two Atago-class and four Kongo-class destroyers. Hamada added with North Korea improving their ballistic missile operational capabilities, among them being able to conduct multiple simultaneous launches and increased altitudes in their trajectories, a new ship with higher interception capabilities in contrast to the existing ships was required.
Hamada said that the two destroyers would be large enough to enable operations that would be carried out in rough weather and enhanced crew quarters to allow the ships to conduct longer deployments. The Japanese defense chief also said that the ability to intercept hypersonic glide weapons would also be included in the ships’ capabilities.

The Missile Defense Agency (MDA) and U.S. sailors manning the Aegis Ashore Missile Defense Test Complex (AAMDTC) at the Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF) at Kauai, Hawaii, successfully conducted Flight Test Integrated-03 (FTI-03) in 2018. MDA Photo​

Hamada confirmed that the defense ministry was accelerating the acquisition process to get the two destroyers into service faster than usual.
“We believe it is an extremely important initiative to drastically strengthen our defense capabilities within five years,” he said.
Japan is not the only country with eyes on new ships. India formally commissioned the Indigenous Aircraft Carrier INS Vikrant (R11) into the Indian Navy in a ceremony at Cochin Shipyard Limited, Kochi, by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who also unveiled the new Naval Ensign for the Indian Navy.
Vikrant’s keel was laid down in 2009. The ship was originally planned for commissioning in 2016, but numerous delays during its construction led to the 2022 commissioning date.
The carrier has a displacement of 43,000 tons fully loaded and a length of 262m and a width of 62 meters. The carrier’s air wing will comprise of 30 aircraft including MiG-29K fighters Kamov-31 and MH-60R multi-role helicopters while Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH) and Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) (Navy) are envisioned to be operating off the carrier in the future.
The Indian Navy also has a requirement for 26 Multirole Carrier Borne Fighters (MRCBF) aircraft with Boeing’s F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet and Dassault’s Rafale-M in contention for that requirement.
Despite its commissioning, Vikrant is only expected to be fully operational in mid to late 2023 due to flight trials and integration of the MiG-29Ks into the carrier.
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Source: USNI
 
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(The Yomiuri Shimbun, oct.30)

Experiment vessel plans in works as Japan looks to possess submarines carrying long-range missiles​

Moves are being made to build an experiment vessel to examine technical issues toward possibly possessing submarines capable of firing long-range missiles, government sources have said.
The development plan will be included in the National Defense Program Guidelines to be revised by the year-end.

If the development progresses for actual deployment, Tomahawk cruise missiles that the government has approached the U.S. government about purchasing will be an option for the vessel.

The government is considering possessing defensive-minded counterattack capabilities to destroy such facilities as an enemy’s missile launch site. The government plans to use the modified version of the Ground Self-Defense Force’s Type 12 surface-to-ship missiles as well as possible Tomahawk missiles as mainstay long-range missiles for such purpose.

The government had in mind ground vehicles, surface ships and aircraft as launch equipment for such missiles. However, it is relatively easy for an enemy to detect where the long-range missiles are deployed using such equipment. Thus, the government has decided that adding submarines as an option.

The construction of the experiment submarine will start in fiscal 2024 and is expected to take several years. As for launch methods, vertical firing from the body of the vessel and horizontal firing from a torpedo tube will be studied. Based on the trial operation of the experiment submarine, the government will determine within 10 years whether to introduce such a submarine for actual defense operations.

Currently, the Maritime Self-Defense Force’s submarines are mainly equipped with torpedoes and short-range anti-ship missiles. The latest Taigei-class submarines are equipped with surface-to-surface/anti-ship dual-use missiles. But the range of those missiles is only about 250 kilometers. Tomahawks can be fired from submarines and have a range of more than 1,250 kilometers.

The five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council — the United States, China, France, Russia and the United Kingdom — possess submarines capable of firing surface-to-surface long-range missiles. South Korea also deploys submarines capable of launching ballistic missiles.
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Holy shit. This isn't a destroyer it's a damn missile cruiser.

www.thedrive.com

First Rendering Of Japan's Ballistic Missile Defense Ship Concept Released

After the cancellation of two Aegis Ashore sites, Japan is moving forward with dedicated interceptor and radar-packed missile defense ships.
www.thedrive.com www.thedrive.com

As for the future ASEVs’ metrics, details are still relatively sparse, and the MoD report did not include specific dimensions. However, The War Zone in the past has cited details provided by local Japanese news outlets that gave a general idea of the eventual size of these ships. For instance, The Nikkei reported that the ASEVs are expected to be around 690 feet long and have a beam of around 130 feet.
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SPY-7 and BL9. Slimmed down to a speed of 30 kt or more and anti-submarine and air defense functions (SM6 and ESSM) (also added), 12SSM standoff is also added, and CEC and EOR functions are also added. VLS of over 200 cells.
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https://twitter.com/x/status/1604008952076722176
 
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JMSDF will only get 12 Mogami-class frigates. The original plan was to purchase 22 frigates but now they will build a new FFM class. The new class will be around 10 in quantity. The Mogami-class has some faults and design issues which will be rectified in the new FFM class.
 
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(navalnews) DSEI Japan 2023: Weapon Systems for Japan Self Defense Forces
00:33 - Introduction in English and Japanese 01:01 - Discussion on the increase of Japan defense budget 01:44 - Kawasaki Heavy Industries new "Island Defense missile" 02:35 - Discussion on the presence of several different types of anti-ship missiles in JSDF inventory 05:00 - JSM Joint Strike Missile 06:45 - MQ-9B SeaGuardian of JCG, interest by JMSDF, MQ-9B with JSM and MQ-9B aboard Izumo 10:03 - Discussion on rumors of Tomahawk requirement for JMSDF 11:34 - Successful intercept test of Raytheon SM-3 by JMSDF 14:34 - Bofors 40MK4 gun system in use with the JCG 14:48 - BAE Systems Hyper Velocity Projectiles 15:08 - Leonardo Vulcano extended range ammunition 15:24 - Mitsubishi Heavy Industries 10 KW laser weapon demonstrator

https://twitter.com/x/status/1637811635124330498
 
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Japan has developed a new SAM for naval use. I think they are planning on replacing the ESSM and SM-2 with indeginous option.
 
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