JAPAN / 日本

[sol]

Japan is ordering additional Type 10 tanks and Type 19 155mm SPH

In its 2024 defence budget, the MoD allocated JPY16.8 billion (USD112 million) and JPY15.1 billion to procure 10 Type 10 MBTs and 16 Type 19 SPHs respectively.

https://www.janes.com/defence-news/terr ... w-70529694

[donald_of_tokyo]

A bit old movie, but the real image of the CIC of FFM-2 Kumano

[donald_of_tokyo]

[wargame_insomniac]

Japan to procure 12 new FFMs in just 5 years from 2024 to 2028, a very high build rate, the new FFM is a follow-on to the 12 Mogami class frigates, FLD will be approx. 6,900t which 25% larger than the Mogami's being built at a rate of 2 per year with the last being procured this year before the transitioning to new FFM in 2024. Besides the very high build rate the design of the new frigate appears to have been accomplished in unbelievably short time period for build to start in 2024.

Limited info on fit out but mention of the following missiles

The Japanese new ship-to-air guided missile, A-SAM, based on the Japanese Army's Type 03 Chu SAM plus booster started development in 2017 and test fired in Dec 2022 from Japan's experimental ship JS Asuka and IOC 2024. The new A- SAMs intended to bring better range than ESSMs extending the air defense coverage of the ships, also as important as the development of the missile is the CMC incorporating the new data link, the Fire Control (FC) network, which aims to share radar information among ships. Planned as complimentary to the USN Data Distribution System (DDS) data link for its Cooperative Engagement Capability (CEC), the USN CEC aims to intercept approaching missiles and other missiles as far away as possible with the SM-2s and SM-6s whereas the Japanese FC network aims to efficiently intercept missiles that have slipped through the destroyers air defences with the A-SAM, reported the Type 03 SAM successfully shot down a Mach 2.5 Coyote at White Sand during trials.

The new Upgraded Type 12 SSM anti-ship missile with its new stealth RCS body, comes with capability to attack not only naval vessels but also ground targets at a range of at least 900 km. The upgraded Type 12 development plan was for the conventional ground-launched version from FY2021 to 2025, the ship-launched version from FY2022 to 2026 and the aircraft-launched version from FY2024 to 2028, however reported Japan has decided to accelerate this schedule due to the Chinese / Korean threats, aiming to deploy it from FY2023.

https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/20 ... t-5-years/

[Icedragon9]

Japan to procure 12 new FFMs in just 5 years from 2024 to 2028, a very high build rate, the new FFM is a follow-on to the 12 Mogami class frigates, FLD will be approx. 6,900t which 25% larger than the Mogami's being built at a rate of 2 per year with the last being procured this year before the transitioning to new FFM in 2024. Besides the very high build rate the design of the new frigate appears to have been accomplished in unbelievably short time period for build to start in 2024.

Limited info on fit out but mention of the following missiles

The Japanese new ship-to-air guided missile, A-SAM, based on the Japanese Army's Type 03 Chu SAM plus booster started development in 2017 and test fired in Dec 2022 from Japan's experimental ship JS Asuka and IOC 2024. The new A- SAMs intended to bring better range than ESSMs extending the air defense coverage of the ships, also as important as the development of the missile is the CMC incorporating the new data link, the Fire Control (FC) network, which aims to share radar information among ships. Planned as complimentary to the USN Data Distribution System (DDS) data link for its Cooperative Engagement Capability (CEC), the USN CEC aims to intercept approaching missiles and other missiles as far away as possible with the SM-2s and SM-6s whereas the Japanese FC network aims to efficiently intercept missiles that have slipped through the destroyers air defences with the A-SAM, reported the Type 03 SAM successfully shot down a Mach 2.5 Coyote at White Sand during trials.

The new Upgraded Type 12 SSM anti-ship missile with its new stealth RCS body, comes with capability to attack not only naval vessels but also ground targets at a range of at least 900 km. The upgraded Type 12 development plan was for the conventional ground-launched version from FY2021 to 2025, the ship-launched version from FY2022 to 2026 and the aircraft-launched version from FY2024 to 2028, however reported Japan has decided to accelerate this schedule due to the Chinese / Korean threats, aiming to deploy it from FY2023.

https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/20 ... t-5-years/

12 6,900t Frigates in 5 years is incredible! How can anybody compete with East Asian Navies?
Unlike in WW2 the commercial ship building capacity is overwhelmingly concentrated in East Asia instead of North America or Europe.
In the event of a major war they will be able to replace ships much faster than anyone in the West. The loss of commercial shipbuilding is a major security risk.

[Meriv9]

We can more than compete. We are way better placed than Korea and Japan.

This is Mitsubishi trying to enter the cruise sector.



2 years of delay and 2 bln wasted, they dropped out of the competition.

Check how many cruisers of 100k ton we build in Europe per Year.

https://cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-ship-orderbook/



The chinese are able only because they got Fincantieri behind.

Not only this, we got the Superyacht sector.


That is a way more innovation intensive sector like the Cruise ships



Meanwhile the Japanese and Korean civil sector is way lower on capital intensive production.

Not only, we also have the complete leadership of the suppliers with over 50% of the market.

We achieve this by being a multitude of countries with too many overlapping shipyards.

Once we start having more programs like the EPC there wont be any competition.

[SW1]

The considerable cost of filling those ships cells

https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2024 ... chase.html

Japan signed a contract with the United States on Thursday to buy land-based Tomahawk cruise missiles, seeking to acquire the capability of striking an adversary's territory with China and North Korea in mind.

Under the deal, arranged through Washington's foreign military sales program, Japan will pay about 254 billion yen ($1.7 billion) in total to purchase up to 400 Tomahawks and related equipment. The payments will be over a three-year period from fiscal 2025 starting in April next year, according to the Defense Ministry.

Japan was initially planning on obtaining the latest Tomahawk Block-5 missiles in fiscal 2026 and 2027 and deploying them on its Maritime Self-Defense Force Aegis destroyers.

[Markam]

Not sure if this is a good site, but it has been in other sources regarding Japan participation in AUKUS, which is currently mostly about subs;

https://warriormaven.com/sea/japan-may- ... arine-deal

Japan does not have nuclear subs, but it is well known with their domestic nuclear power plants their nuclear capabilities and capacity is quite good (the public obviously not so keen) and with China having nuclear subs and Australia seeking them it may be something they want to pursue via Aukus, as well as the next stages of Aukus being planned.

Unrelated but BAE was in Nikkei (Japanese article) the other day about their interest/moves in the Japanese market for Cyber security primarily. BAE is making the Aukus subs and has had an office in Japan since 2022.

https://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXZQOUC ... 3A2000000/

All this may be coming to a head as the Japanese prime minister is visiting Washington April 10 and the main topic is defence, this is followed by a joint summit with the Philippines.

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2024/ ... ers-talks/.

[NickC]

The considerable cost of filling those ships cells

https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2024 ... chase.html

Japan signed a contract with the United States on Thursday to buy land-based Tomahawk cruise missiles, seeking to acquire the capability of striking an adversary's territory with China and North Korea in mind.

Under the deal, arranged through Washington's foreign military sales program, Japan will pay about 254 billion yen ($1.7 billion) in total to purchase up to 400 Tomahawks and related equipment. The payments will be over a three-year period from fiscal 2025 starting in April next year, according to the Defense Ministry.

Japan was initially planning on obtaining the latest Tomahawk Block-5 missiles in fiscal 2026 and 2027 and deploying them on its Maritime Self-Defense Force Aegis destroyers.

Tomahawk is more expensiive than thought at $4.25 million each, approx £3.4 milllion, its a subsonic non-stealthy missile with max of Mach 0.7 and would have thought pose no problem for equivilent of Sea Ceptor to shoot down, so wonder what is the CONOPS justifying $1.7 billion spend ?

[bobp]

Progress on Japan's light carriers

https://simpleflying.com/js-kaga-first- ... tin-f-35b/

[abc123]

IMHO, Japan dosn't need SSNs, their SSks with AIP/Batteries are good enough.