Japan strengthens defense: $39M cruise missile deal approved
Japan has requested to purchase more AGM-158B JASSM-ER cruise missiles from the American government, and this request has been approved. Here, we present what exactly the Land of the Rising Sun will receive.
The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) of the Pentagon announced the approval of a potential sale to Japan with a maximum value of $39 million. This includes 16 AGM-158B JASSM-ER cruise missiles, AGM-158 JASSM Dummy Air Training Missiles (DATM), containers and receivers for the JASSM Anti-jam Global Positioning System (JAGR), and a logistics package that includes training and spare parts.
It is worth noting that the final contract value, as is usually the case with DSCA approvals, is expected to be lower. The missiles will be manufactured at Lockheed Martin's facilities located in Orlando, Florida. This delivery signifies a significant enhancement for Japan, a main ally in driving political stability and economic progress in the Indo-Pacific region. This purchase follows another acquisition in August 2023, when Japan bought 50 missiles for $104 million.
AGM-158B JASSM-ER cruise missiles - a weapon of significant importance
The AGM-158B JASSM-ER cruise missiles were added to the USAF arsenal in 2014 and serve as an improvement over the earlier AGM-158 JASSM missiles. The main enhancement involves extending the range to nearly 621 miles while maintaining the same body design.
Similar to competitive missiles like TAURUS KEPD 350 or Storm Shadow, the JASSM and its ER version are crafted with stealth technology and have identical dimensions: a length of 14 feet, a wingspan of 9 feet, and a weight exceeding one ton. These missiles are designed for launch from aircraft, and for Japan, the carriers will be F-15Js.
The difference between the JASSM versions lies in the ER version's increased fuel capacity and more economical engine. Both types of missiles are equipped with the same warhead, a penetrative WDU-42/B weighing 952 pounds, which can explode upon impact, with a delay, or in the air, dispersing deadly fragments over a significant area.
The precise delivery of the warhead to the target, with an accuracy of less than 10 feet, is ensured by a navigation system that employs both satellite and inertial navigation. In the final phase, this system is supported by an optoelectronic head with a fourth-generation infrared sensor that detects the thermal image of the target. As a result, a highly effective system has emerged, posing a challenge even to countries with modern air defense systems.
