Japan’s Defense Ministry to Consider Strengthening Fleet With Nuclear Submarines

An expert group of the Ministry of Defense of Japan has recommended strengthening the fleet with nuclear submarines to actively confront China.

The relevant information is published in the report of the “Council of Experts on Fundamental Reinforcement of Defense Capabilities”.

The document outlines key areas aimed at creating competitive self-defense forces in the event of a conflict with China.

One of these areas was the introduction of nuclear-powered submarines, which have greater autonomy and range than existing diesel-electric submarines.

The Ministry of Defense plans to begin a thorough study of this issue as part of a new five-year development plan to be created in 2027. It may include both the construction of new nuclear submarines and the purchase of off-the-shelf nuclear submarines.

In addition to nuclear propulsion, these boats should be equipped with vertical launchers, which will allow them to be used as a strike force to launch cruise and potentially ballistic missiles.

Japan’s defense concept is based on the creation of a strong maritime component that allows the country to compete at least minimally with China and counteract its influence in the region.

Japan currently has 23 diesel-electric submarines of three types in service: 10 units of the Oyashio type, 12 units of the Soryu type, and 4 new Taigei type boats. They are well suited for patrolling territorial waters, but are not designed for long missions lasting from one to six months.

Nuclear-powered submarines can stay underwater for up to 3-6 months without surfacing and have a range of up to 40,000 km, making them ideal for patrolling remote areas such as the South China Sea.

The expert group also noted the risks of the program, including the high cost, which could be ten times higher than the cost of conventional diesel-electric submarines.

In order to promote cooperation between industry and defense, the group recommends considering various financing models based on foreign experience, including the creation of a ‘defense corporation’ to attract private capital while maintaining state control, as well as the example of the French state defense fund, which supports the defense industry with small investments from private investors.

Earlier, Militarnyi reported that Japan’s Defense Procurement Agency would cooperate with the US Department of the Navy in the development of new missile destroyers with the Aegis Combat System.