Advertisement
Japan stumps up US$1 billion for arms-race insurance with US-led hypersonic missile-interceptor project
- The US$3 billion Glide Phase Interceptor project is being co-developed with the US to counteract advanced weapons such as hypersonic missiles
- The neutralisation of Iran’s recent attack on Israel provides valuable lessons for countries looking to develop such defence systems, analysts say
Reading Time:3 minutes
Why you can trust SCMP
10
Japan is expected to contribute US$1 billion to a US$3 billion missile-intercepting system under joint development with the United States, as it seeks to counter the reported deployment of highly advanced weapons – including hypersonic missiles – by regional rivals.
Advertisement
The move is insurance against an accelerating “arms race” in the region, according to one analyst, as lessons are learned from recent conflicts – particularly the neutralisation of Iran’s drone and missile attack against Israel last month.
Tokyo’s concerns centre on countries with which it has territorial disputes such as Russia, which has reportedly received missiles from North Korea for its war against Ukraine, and China as it steps up aggressive actions in disputed waters.
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and US President Joe Biden finalised the details of the agreement in August last year while Kishida was in Washington.
The US will fork over an estimated US$2 billion for the Glide Phase Interceptor project, according to 2025 budget estimates released by the US Department of Defence in March.
Advertisement
Washington and Tokyo aim to achieve full operational capability for the system by the end of 2032. The objective is for missiles launched from US Navy warships to intercept hypersonic projectiles during their vulnerable glide phase.
Advertisement