The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) has announced that US State Department approval has been granted for the sale of the Lockheed Martin Aegis Ashore ballistic missile defence (BMD) system to Japan.
Aegis Ashore is a land-based version of the SPY-1 radar and combat system integrated with US Navy Arleigh Burke destroyers and Ticonderoga class cruisers, as well as destroyers and frigates operated by Japan, Korea, Spain, Norway, and on Australia’s Hobart class destroyers.
The DSCA approval says the sale, which is valued at US$2.15bn (A$2.9bn), “will contribute to the foreign policy and national security of the United States by improving the security of a major ally that is a force for political stability and economic progress in the Asia-Pacific region.
“It is vital to US national interests to assist Japan in developing and maintaining a strong and effective self-defense capability.”
The hardware includes two Aegis weapon systems, two multi-mission signal processors and two command and control processor refreshes, and related equipment. The system will be integrated with Raytheon SM-3 missiles which Japan is co-developing with the US Navy, and which Japan placed an order for last October.
The Aegis Ashore system is likely to be of interest to ADF Project AIR 6500 integrated air & missile defence (IAMD) system planners as that project mature in the next two years.