The Japanese Ministry of Defense has signed a $2.8 billion deal with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries to develop and produce long-range missiles.

Their deployment is planned for 2026-2027.

Information on this was published on the website of the Ministry of Defense of Japan.

This regards the following contracts:

• serial production of Type 12 surface-to-ship missiles;
• development of Type 12 guided surface-to-ship missiles with enhanced capabilities to be launched from land, naval, and air platforms;
• mass production of high-speed glide missiles for the defense of the islands;
• development of a guided missile for submarines.

The information published by the Ministry of Defense of Japan states that serial production of advanced Type 12 surface-to-ship missiles will start in 2023. Their delivery is expected in 2026-2027.

The development of Type 12 guided surface-to-ship missiles with enhanced capabilities to be launched from land, naval, and air platforms will be funded until 2027.

In 2023, the production of high-speed glide missiles for the defense of remote islands will begin. Delivery is expected in 2026 and 2027.

This year, the plan is to also start the development of long-range anti-ship guided missiles for submarines.

The planned works are scheduled for 2023-2027.

The DefenseNews notes that Japan plans to partially test the new weapons at military bases in the United States.

The missile program is based on the new Defense Security Strategy, adopted in December 2022. Among other things, it assumes the development of preventive strike capabilities.

It is emphasized that Japan has recently deployed missile units on remote islands in the southwest as a deterrent in case of a crisis between China and Taiwan.

Type 12

In August 2022, the Japanese Ministry of Defense announced plans to accelerate the deployment of an upgraded version of the Type 12 surface-to-ship missile.

Initially, the Type 12 surface-to-ship missile had a range of about 200 kilometers.

The new upgraded version aims to increase the flight range to at least 900 km and eventually to 1200 km. The shape of the missile was also changed to make it stealthy.

The modernized Type 12 will also implement the “Up to Date Command” (UDTC) command, which allows the missile to receive information about the target from satellite communication during flight and more accurately hit targets that are in motion.

The missile should be able to safely attack enemy naval ships from beyond the range of enemy anti-aircraft missiles.

The modernized missile will be developed not only in the usual land-based version but also in ship-based and aircraft-based versions.