The United States government has authorized the potential sale of new SM-6 missiles for the AEGIS destroyers of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF). This is detailed in one of the latest notifications from the U.S. Department of State to Congress for the approval of the transaction through the FMS Program.
Currently, the JMSDF surface fleet includes a total of eight destroyers equipped with the AEGIS combat management system. First, there are the initial four Kongo-class ships, commissioned during the 1990s. Subsequently, in the 2000s, two Atago-class units were incorporated. Finally, in the early 2020s, the two most recent and advanced Maya-class ships were received.
However, as outlined in the Japanese government’s plans, the country has confirmed the start of construction of the first of its two new ASEV missile destroyers, which will feature superior combat capabilities compared to the previously mentioned classes. This is reflected in their displacement of 12,000 tons (placing them within the missile cruiser range) and a length of 190 meters.
This increase in displacement and dimensions correlates with an enhancement in the armament they will carry compared to previous Japanese AEGIS ships. To put it in figures, according to officially released specifications, the ASEV class (which does not have an official designation) will feature a 128-cell vertical launch system (VLS), surpassing the Maya class, which has a 96-cell VLS distributed between the bow (64 cells) and stern (32 cells).
In mid-January, it was confirmed that Lockheed Martin delivered the first AN/SPY-7(V)1 radar antenna, which will equip the first ship of the new class currently under construction by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI), with its commissioning into the JMSDF scheduled for 2028.
Returning to the authorization issued on January 31, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) detailed that the Japanese government requested the purchase of up to 150 SM-6 Block I missiles from the United States. The package, valued at US$900 million, also includes the provision of MK 21 Mod 3 Vertical Launch System (VLS) containers.
The Department of State has indicated: “The proposed sale will enhance Japan’s capability to meet current and future threats, enabling the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) to deploy the latest Standard Missile capabilities from its surface combatants equipped with the current and future AEGIS Weapon System (AWS).”
*Images used for illustrative purposes.
