Japan Begins Testing Long-Range Cruise Missile for F-2 Fighters

The Japan Air Self-Defense Force has started testing the F-2 fighter jet with a new long-range air-launched cruise missile.

The @AKEBOVO account posted the photos on the social media platform X.

They show the F-2B test aircraft with tail number “63-8101,” assigned to the ADTW test unit, conducting a test flight with two cruise missiles mounted, departing from Gifu Air Base.

The air-launched variant of the missile is based on the Type 25 coastal missile system, which is currently being deployed to anti-ship regiments for the defense of the Japanese islands.

The exact specifications of the air-launched variant are unknown; however, given that the range of the ground-launched variant is estimated at around 1,200–1,500 km, the air-launched missile will likely have a similar or even greater range due to its air-launch capability.

Development of the missile has been underway for three years. Currently, Japan has only limited capabilities to use its air force for long-range strikes, and 10 years ago, such capabilities were virtually nonexistent due to its self-defense doctrine, under which Japan was restricted to defending its islands without launching retaliatory strikes.

We also recommend reading the author’s article “The Development of Cruise Missiles in Japan: Current Projects and Strategic Prospects”

According to Mitsubishi’s plans, the company aims to provide the Japan Self-Defense Forces with a standardized long-range weapon system, which is the 12SSM-ER missile.

The missile is positioned as an affordable solution for aviation, ground forces, ships, and submarines, with multi-purpose capabilities against both surface and ground targets.

In October 2025, Militarnyi reported that Mitsubishi had announced the start of production of new cruise missiles for combat surface ships and submarines. These missiles, like the air-launched version, are also based on the land-based Type 25 version.

The company signed a contract with the Japanese Ministry of Defense on September 1, 2025, although an official announcement was not made until October 7.

It is expected that the missiles will be launched from torpedo tubes on submarines; this will primarily apply to the Sōryū- and Taigei-class submarines. Meanwhile, a new version of the submarine, being developed by Kawasaki, will be equipped with vertical launch cells.

Type 25 cruise missile strike system

The Type 25 cruise missile systems, formerly known as the 12SSM-ER, are a modern long-range strike capability designed to engage both land-based and surface targets.

The 12SSM-ER is capable of engaging surface targets with a displacement of up to 15,000 metric tons at a range of up to 1,500 km. For the Ground Self-Defense Force, it is mounted in a transport-and-launch container on a Mitsubishi truck chassis with an 8×8 wheel arrangement—a standard platform for the Japan Self-Defense Forces’ heavy missile systems.

With a length of approximately 9 meters, the missile’s warhead weighs about 300 kg, providing a powerful strike against large surface targets and coastal installations.

The guidance system combines inertial navigation with GPS correction, as well as an active radar homing head during the terminal phase of flight.

The radar homing head is based on an active phased array antenna (APAR), which allows it to scan the area, detect targets against complex terrain (on land and at sea), and provides enhanced resistance to electronic countermeasures thanks to multi-frequency operation and the ability to dynamically switch between frequency bands.