Japan’s Ministry of Defense has recently released audiovisual material showing its new long-range anti-ship cruise missile, provisionally known as the “New SSM” or island defense missile, performing evasive maneuvers during flight tests. The footage shows the missile executing barrel rolls in the terminal phase, a flight profile designed to complicate interception by naval defensive systems.
The material is part of a video published by the Acquisition, Technology and Logistics Agency (ATLA) of Japan’s Ministry of Defense. Although the images had already been shown at ATLA’s Defense Technology Symposium last year, this marks the first time they have been widely released. Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI) acts as the program’s prime contractor, and development has been underway since 2023 amid Tokyo’s growing concerns over the regional security environment.
General characteristics of the New SSM
The New SSM is an improved version of the Type 12 anti-ship missile, originally designed for launch from mobile ground-based systems. In its current configuration, the missile is subsonic and powered by an XKJ301-1 turbofan engine, derived from KHI’s KJ300 design, developed for both cruise missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles. This dual-spool engine prioritizes fuel efficiency, resulting in increased operational range.
While Japanese authorities have not officially confirmed the New SSM’s maximum range, they have stated that it will exceed that of the Type 12. The base version of the Type 12 has a range of approximately 200 kilometers, while later variants doubled that distance. In addition, a version of the Type 12 with an estimated range of between 900 and 1,000 kilometers is currently under development, suggesting that the New SSM could surpass those figures.
The missile features deployable main wings, twin vertical stabilizers, and horizontal stabilizers at the rear section. Initial launch is performed using a booster rocket, which separates once sufficient speed is reached, at which point the turbofan engine takes over. The design allows for launches from land-based and naval platforms, as well as future air integration on aircraft such as the Mitsubishi F-2 fighter and the Kawasaki P-1 maritime patrol aircraft.
The New SSM incorporates multiple features aimed at reducing its radar signature, including angular lines, serrated edges, and an S-shaped air intake, commonly seen in stealth systems. In terms of guidance, it employs an inertial navigation system assisted by GPS (INS) during the cruise phase, while in the terminal phase it uses a dual-mode seeker combining imaging infrared (IIR) and radio frequency (RF).
According to previous explanations from ATLA, this combination improves hit probability and reduces vulnerability to electronic countermeasures, while also facilitating missile employment in complex littoral environments. The modular nose design would allow, in the future, the integration of different types of sensors, warheads, or other capabilities.
One of the standout aspects of the New SSM is its in-flight maneuverability, both en route to the target and in the terminal phase. The spiral maneuvers observed during testing are intended to evade short-range defensive systems installed on ships, particularly those based on high-rate automatic cannons. Official Japanese graphics had previously depicted such trajectories in simulated scenarios.
ATLA has indicated that these capabilities are intended to reduce the probability of interception, although no public data have yet been released regarding the actual effectiveness of these maneuvers in operational scenarios.
Japanese authorities have also noted that the New SSM could serve as a base platform for a family of modular systems. Options under consideration include land-attack variants, versions with non-kinetic functions, dedicated decoys, or even configurations with surveillance and loitering capabilities, while retaining the ability to strike detected targets.
This flexibility would allow new technologies to be incorporated over time, expanding the system’s mission set and facilitating adaptation to different operational scenarios.
Strategic context and timeline
The development of the New SSM is part of a broader effort to modernize Japan’s stand-off strike capabilities, complementing other ongoing programs. Within this framework, the Ministry of Defense has identified 2027 as the target year to begin serial production and operational deployment of the missile.
The flight tests currently underway, including the evasive maneuvers observed in the material released by ATLA, represent a key step within that timeline and confirm that the program is progressing toward its next validation phases.
Images for illustrative purposes.
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