Japan's $54 billion arms spend. From 'helicopter destroyers' to new Type 10 tanks

A lingering war with Russia since 1945, China's power surge, and hostile rhetoric from North Korea have urged Tokyo to raise its defense budget year after year consistently. A territorial dispute over the Kuril islands with Russia further complicates this situation.

The defense spending for 2023 was substantial, but more is earmarked for the military in 2024, reaching an estimated $54 billion. However technically, Japan doesn't have an army, but it has the Self-Defense Forces, where civilians in uniform handle the weaponry.

Despite legal interpretations, the Japanese Self-Defense Forces rank among the leading armies in the world according to various rankings. Within these forces, the navy is particularly robust, and the classification of its ship classes doesn't necessarily reflect their capabilities and roles.

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A perfect example would be the light aircraft carriers, once identified as "helicopter destroyers”, or the term "destroyer" consistently applied to describe ships that would be considered cruisers in other countries.

Japanese aviation stands out globally due to its unique aircraft, specifically the Mitsubishi F2. This plane is an enlarged, reinforced, and costly version of the F-16, built exclusively for Japan.

The advancements of the navy and air forces have somewhat overshadowed the development of Japanese ground forces. Nevertheless, their technical modernization is also picking up speed, introducing various new equipment types. So, what kind of weaponry has Tokyo been investing in recently?

Around the end of 2023, pictures shared on the internet (likely taken by the crew of an onboard helicopter) depicted the Japanese light aircraft carrier JS Kaga (DDH-184) undergoing sea trials following refurbishments. Initially deployed as a helicopter carrier alongside its twin Izumo in 2015, it has since been equipped to work with F-35B planes.

Simultaneously, progressive Mogami-class frigates are being constructed at an unprecedented speed. The first ship of this class was launched in 2019. Despite its few years of existence, Japan saw the need to upgrade these ships, leading to design modifications resulting in increased length and displacement of the new units.

These Mogami-class frigates exemplify Japan's preparation for demographic challenges, as small, 90-person crews handle these giant ships despite their size.

Japan has also introduced another large vessel type, the Maya-class missile destroyers, equipped with the AEGIS battle management system in the past few years. More of these large AEGIS-equipped units will enter service by 2027.

The backbone of the Japanese Air Self-Defense Force consists of over 150 air superiority fighters, predominantly Mitsubishi F-15, most locally manufactured under license. These large, specialized air-combat machines complement the more minor yet considerable Mitsubishi F2.

This aircraft is an enhanced version of the F-16, featuring a modified fuselage, more enormous wings, and Japanese avionics for superior performance compared to the original. However, the extensive transformation of the F-16 for a single customer led to a very high unit price - the F2 was about five times costlier than the F-16 in the mid-1990s.

Currently, F-35 planes are being integrated into service in Japan. Despite their best efforts to procure the F-22 Raptor aircraft from the United States, the request was declined. This led Japan to independently forge ahead with developing a next-generation aircraft before abandoning this plan in 2023. Together with the United Kingdom and Italy, Japan contributes to developing the GCAP program.

The program of modernization and development also involves the ground forces. A few years ago, Japan incorporated a new type of firearm, the Type 20 rifle. These have been complemented this year with emergency purchases of machine guns and sniper rifles from Europe.

New orders are being placed for the most recent tank introduced in 2012 in Japan, the Type 10 tanks, and new self-propelled howitzers Type 20, similar to the French CAESAR. Also on order are combat infantry vehicles built based on the Type 16 tank destroyer and new armored personnel carriers in the form of Patria XP vehicles. It is worth noting that all weapons currently being ordered are modern equipment introduced into service within the past ten years.

At the same time, work is progressing on future weapon models, such as a ballistic missile defense system being developed in collaboration with the United States, an early warning system for hypersonic missiles, and energy weapons in the form of a railgun being tested for the Japanese Navy.