Japan’s Fleet BMD: Upgrades & UORs

The JMSDF (Japanese Maritime Self Defence Force) is working closely with the USA on missile defense activities. Air Force cooperation has also improved by leaps and bounds, allowing for much closer coordination with the USA in all aspects of operations – including missile tracking.

Japanese involvement includes modification and improvements to the SM-3 long-range anti-air/ABM missile. This weapon will form the outer layer of Japan’s ABM system, deployed from its current fleet of 4 Kongo Class AEGIS destroyers and their 2 larger Atago Class successors. The inner layer will consist of land-based Japan Self Defense Forces PAC-3 Patriot missiles, and together they will form the initial ballistic missile defense architecture for mainland Japan.

JMSDF BMD: The Equipment

Japan already had Kongo-Class AEGIS destroyers, and SM-3 Block IA Standard missiles, in its inventory when the upgrades began. The JMSDF had 4 AEGIS destroyers operating with SM-2 missiles at sea when the upgrades were first requested; the 5th and 6th AEGIS destroyers were under construction. The US DSCA believed, correctly, that the JMSDF was fully capable of integrating the modified AEGIS Weapon System and SM-3 Block IA into its operational forces, and will receive what it needs to maintain and support the systems.

AEGIS BMD 3.0 can be used only for tracking, while AEGIS BMD 3.6.1 can be used for full engagement. Japan’s goal was to have all ship equipped with BMD 3.6.1, and this has been achieved. Presumably, the final upgrades will also include Cooperative Engagement Capability.

A program is underway to upgrade Japan’s 2 Atago Class AEGIS destroyers, which are a larger version of the Kongo Class. The initial upgrade is to Aegis ACB-12 with TI-12, and full ballistic missile defense capability is expected. This will give Japan 6 BMD ships, and Japan may be about to allocate funds to build 2 new destroyers with AEGIS BMD pre-installed. If so, current estimates indicate that they would arrive in 2020 – 2021.

Based on a conservative 1 deployed, 1 portside/ training, 1 maintenance ratio, 6 ships ensures 2 deployed vessels at all times. In reality, the amount of time in maintenance is smaller, but 8 ships provide more surge capacity coverage, act as insurance against accidents that may take a ship or 2 out of service, and allow the JMSDF to use its top-end ships for more territorial patrols. America’s long-running failure to prevent North Korea from going nuclear has become a grave concern, but not the only one. China is stepping up its activities in the Yellow Sea and beyond, especially around disputed territories.

Future Equipment

The USA has tested AEGIS BMD 4.0.2 equipment and software on board USS Lake Erie [CG 70], and is beginning to roll it out to their fleet. Unless Japan demands a single BMD combat system fleet-wide, BMD 4.0.2 offers advantages for the Atago Class retrofits when using the current SM-3 Block IB missile.

Meanwhile, American system development is continuing. BMD 5.0 will shift the system to full open architecture electronics, and BMD 5.1 will introduce compatibility with the US-Japanese SM-3 Block IIA. Eventually, the Japanese will be upgrading their existing AEGIS BMD systems – the only questions are to what versions, and how many times.

The jointly-developed SM-3 Block IIA missile is wider, creating longer range and better intercept geometry. In English: it’s faster and more powerful, with the ability to defend larger areas, and hit longer-range missiles with a higher flight profile. Whereas SM-3 Block I missiles would require about 6 ships to defend Japan, SM-3 Block IIA missiles could cut that to 3 or even 2. Introduction is tentatively scheduled for 2018.

Contracts & Key Events

December 21/20: Standoff Attack Missiles Local media reports that Japanese defense officials are considering the option of installing new long-range standoff attack missiles on the two new Aegis warships to be built. Yomuiri Shimbun says the range of the new indigenous missiles will be around 1,000 km. The government may install such missiles on the two ships equipped with Aegis missile interceptor systems in response to increasing naval activities by Beijing in the East China Sea amid tensions over the Japanese-administered Senkaku Islands, which Beijing claims and calls the Diaoyu. The Cabinet approved Friday the building of the two vessels to enhance its defense capabilities in the face of the North Korean missile threat.

December 11/20: Japan Japan has officially decided that it will build two more Aegis warships to replace the abandoned Aegis Ashore program, Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi said. Tokyo will also be extended the range of its indigenous Type 12 surface-to-ship missile.Opposition lawmakers criticize the move to boost the range of the missile, saying that this is to make the weapon as a tool to attack enemy bases. Chief cabinet secretary Kato explained that the range improvement was to extend the defense capabilities.

November 24/20: Aegis Ashore Alternative Is Expensive An audit into the costs of building two new warships as the alternative for Aegis Ashore has found that it will cost Japan $4.8 billion. The new Maya Class destroyer already costs $1.6 billion each. The new warship will need to be lengthened, raising the tonnage. The figure, shown in an interim report of a private sector study commissioned by the Defense Ministry, is not significantly different from the cost of another offshore replacement proposal also under consideration. The government plans to coordinate around the Aegis ship option as it is viewed as allowing more operational flexibility.

October 3/19: Follow-On Technical Support Sustainment and Services The US State Department approved a Foreign Military Sale to Japan of Follow-On Technical Support sustainment and services in support of eight Japan AEGIS Destroyers consisting of four KONGO Class Destroyers, two ATAGO Class Destroyers, two MAYA Class Destroyers and one Japanese Computer Test Site (JCPTS). The estimated value of the deal is $140 million. The sustainment efforts will include AEGIS software updates, system integration and testing, US Government and contractor technical assistance, and other related elements of logistics and program support. The estimated cost is $140 million.

July 18/19: Second Maya Class Destroyer Shipbuilding company Japan Marine United Corporation (JMU) launched the second Maya Class guided missile destroyer for the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF). The vessel is named “Haguro“. The destroyer, which will be the eighth JMSDF ship to be equipped with the Aegis Combat System, is 5m longer than the Atago Class destroyers operated by the JMSDF. Haguro will use the Aegis Baseline J7 supported by the Lockheed Martin/Raytheon AN/SPY-1D(V) phased array radar and the Northrop Grumman AN/SPQ-9B X-band high-resolution fire-control radar. DDG-180 Haguro is expected to be commissioned with the JMSDF in 2021. The first ship of the class, JS Maya, commenced her sea trials a month ago.

July 9/19: Atago! Japan’s Atago Class Guided Missile Destroyer completed its second round of sea trials last month, according to local media reports. The new ship dubbed Maya or PN 179 is right on track for commissioning in 2020. The Maya is the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force’s seventh surface combatant to be equipped with the Aegis combat system. The Atago Class ships are improved versions of the Kongou Class. The Aegis system used on Atago Class ships is more capable than that, used on the previous Kongou Class. The Atago Class has a 127 mm dual-purpose gun in a stealth-shaped mount. For anti-submarine warfare there are 2 triple-tube torpedo launchers for Mk.46 Mod.5 Neartip, or Japanese Type 73 torpedoes.

November 10/15: Japan is reportedly considering an acquisition of multi-purpose helicopters to equip its fleet of ships, particularly the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force’s Izumo-class. The JMSDF launched its second helicopter carrier in August, with the Japanese Ministry of Defense now thought to be evaluating several possible helicopter options.

Sept 30/14: Atago base upgrades. Lockheed Martin Mission Systems and Training in Moorestown, NJ receives a $53.6 million contract modification to upgrade Japan’s Atago Class Ships DDG 177 and DDG 178 from Aegis Baseline 7 Phase 1R, to the Advanced Capability Build 12 software with Technology Insertion 12 hardware. All funds are committed immediately.

Work will be performed in Moorestown, NJ (65%), and Chelmsford, MA (35%), and is expected to be complete by March 2017. US Navy NAVSEA in Washington, DC manages the contract as Japan’s FMS agent (N00024-13-C-5111).

Aug 11/14: Land-based. Japan’s government is reportedly considering land-based SM-3 missiles as an upper-tier complement to the PATRIOT PAC-3 missiles being deployed as point defense, similar to the Aegis Ashore installations in Europe.

The move seems as if it would duplicate naval deployment of SM-3s, but land-based SM-3 missiles would deepen Japan’s available reserves against larger-scale “rush” attacks, while freeing Japan’s advanced air defense destroyers to perform their air defense role with fewer compromises. It would also be possible for Japan to quickly deploy Aegis Ashore bases with SM-3 Block IBs, before the jointly developed SM-3 Block IIA is ready, then rotate SM-3 Block IBs to the land fleet once the Block IIA is ready for naval use. Sources: Mainichi, “Defense ministry mulls introducing ground-based SM-3 interceptor missiles”.

July 22/14: More ships? The Yomiuri Shimbun reports that Japan is speeding up a planned purchase of 2 new ballistic missile defense destroyers (q.v. Nov 6/13), with the first order to be placed in FY 2015, and the 2nd in FY 2016. Each ship would cost about YEN 150 billion (about $1.478 billion), which is a better price than the Americans pay for their smaller Arleigh Burke Flight IIA destroyers.

These 2 orders would definitely fall within the early portion of the 2013 – 2023 National Defense Program Guidelines, which first mentioned the planned vessels. Media estimates indicate that these 2 ships would be fielded in 2020 – 2021. In the interim, US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel announced that the USA would raise the number of AEGIS BMD destroyers homeported at Yokosuka from 5 – 7 ships by 2017. Sources: Yomiuri Shimbun’s The Japan News, “2 more Aegis destroyers set for FY20” | The Diplomat, “Japan’s Building 2 Aegis Destroyers”.

May 16/14: Support. Lockheed Martin Mission Systems & Training in Moorestown, NJ receives a $92.6 million contract modification to fulfill ongoing Aegis lifetime support requirements for the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force. It includes for Aegis Weapon System and Aegis Combat System combat systems engineering, in-country support services, and staging support.

$47 million in Japanese funds are committed immediately. Work will be performed in Moorestown, NJ (95.1%); Kumi, South Korea (1.5%); Chinhae, South Korea (1.4%); Kongsberg, Norway (0.86%); Tokyo, Japan (0.5%); Sasebo, Japan (0.23%); Maizuru, Japan (0.14%); San Fernando, Spain (0.12%); and Yokohama, Japan (0.1%), and is expected to be completed by November 2014. US NAVSEA in Washington, DC acts as Japan’s agent (N00024-11-C-5106).

Nov 6/13: 2 more? Japan’s Defense Ministry reportedly plans to add 2 more AEGIS BMD destroyers to its next National Defense Program Guidelines submission, which covers its goals for the next 10 years. It would be the 1st step in growing the country’s BMD fleet from 6 ships to 8.

The new SM-3 Block IIA missile being co-developed with the USA would allow just 2 ships to cover Japan, but that won’t be ready until 2018 or later. Based on a conservative 1 deployed, 1 portside/ training, 1 maintenance ratio, 6 ships ensures 2 deployed vessels at all times. In reality, the amount of time in maintenance is smaller than that ratio, but 8 ships provide more surge capacity coverage, act as insurance against accidents that may take a ship or 2 out of service, and allow the JMSDF to use its top-end ships for more territorial patrols. America’s long-running failure to prevent North Korea from going nuclear has become a grave concern, but not the only one. China is stepping up its activities in the Yellow Sea and beyond, especially around disputed territories.

The default assumption is that the 2 new ships would be based on Japan’s larger and more modern Atago Class derivative, with BMD systems pre-installed. Depending on Japan’s desired timing and budget, however, Japan could order 2 more Kongo Class ships to save a bit of money. Or, they could look ahead to the USA’s incipient Arleigh Burke Flight III design and its AMDR dual-band SPY-1D / SPQ-9B radar system. Sources: Asahi Shimbun, “Japan plans 2 more Aegis destroyers to defend against North Korea” | Japan Times, “Japan to build two more Aegis destroyers to boost missile defense”.

April 11/13: Atago Class. Lockheed Martin Mission Systems and Training in Moorestown, NJ receives a $29.5 million cost-plus-fixed fee contract for all of the cabinets, consoles, cables and switches needed to support development and testing of the Japan Aegis modernization baseline. When asked about these last 2 contracts, Lockheed Martin’s director of International AEGIS Programs Doug Wilhelm called them:

“…the first step in the Japan Aegis Modernization (JAMOD) program… [for] two of Japan’s existing AEGIS Destroyers [DID: which presumably means the Atago Class, else it would be 4 ships]. Specifically, this contract procures the upgraded equipment that will be installed on the ships in Japan and at a land-based test facility in Moorestown, N.J. The next JAMOD contract award, expected later this year, will be for the completion of Lockheed Martin’s Combat System Engineering efforts to develop, test, and deliver upgraded AEGIS computer programs for the ships. JAMOD will provide the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) with the ability to defend against ballistic missile threats while simultaneously providing defensive capabilities in Air, Surface, and Subsurface mission areas.”

The firm was asked, but they would not specify the target Aegis BMD baseline. Work will be performed in Moorestown, NJ (83.6%); Clearwater, FL (16.3%); Akron, OH (0.1%), and is expected to be complete by June 2014. All funds are committed immediately, and the contract was not competitively procured in accordance with 10 U.S.C. 2304(1)(4). US NAVSEA in Washington DC acts as Japan’s FMS agent (N00024-13-C-5111).

March 28/13: Atago Class. Lockheed Martin Mission Systems and Training in Moorestown, NJ receives a $65 million modification to previously awarded contract to exercise options for “fiscal 2013 Aegis Weapon System Modernization requirements for Japan.” All funding is committed immediately, but the scope of this project isn’t yet clear.

Work will be performed in Moorestown, NJ (69%); Clearwater, FL (30%); and Akron, OH (1%), and is expected to be complete by January 2017. US NAVSEA in Washington DC acts as Japan’s FMS agent (N00024-11-C-5118).

The contract is issued amidst growing tensions involving North Korea, whose leadership seems intent on making Abe’s case for higher military spending much more attractive. We’d say that “the check is in the email,” but that’s North Korea’s actual goal. Hey, all that cognac is expensive – Office 38 needs to be paid.

Aug 16/12: Atago Class. Media reports surface that Japan is looking to add ballistic missile defense upgrades its 2 Atago Class destroyers, which are a slightly larger successor variant of the Kongo Class. Atago entered service in 2007, and Ashigara followed a year later in 2008.

The question is which upgrades Japan and the USA are discussing. Reports indicate that it will be a more modern version of the Aegis BMD system, and the most advanced deployed version is Aegis BMD 4.0.1. The new system is another step along the migration to open architecture electronics, and its improvements include target discrimination, Launch on Remote tracking data, and the ability to handle longer-range engagements against more sophisticated ballistic missiles.

On the other hand, the reports also say that “With such a modernization, the Atago and Ashigara would be capable of firing an updated SM-3 missile that Japan is co-developing with the United States.” That missile is the SM-3 Block IIA, but according to the US Missile Defense Agency, that will require Aegis BMD 5.1, which isn’t slated for fielding until 2018.

If the upgrades are intended to be a near-term project that widens Japan’s defensive umbrella to 6 ships, Aegis BMD 4.0.1 is the likely version, and future upgrades will be required when Japan wants to fully integrate the Block IIA missile into its fleet. Reuters.

April 13/12: Lockheed Martin Mission Systems and Sensors, Moorestown, NJ receives a $7.4 million cost-plus-incentive-fee contract modification for technical engineering and related operation and maintenance of Navy AEGIS sites in NJ in support of AEGIS Foreign Military Sales cases JA-P-FNC (Japan) and SP-P-LGB (Spain), and U.S. Navy AEGIS support efforts.

“This contract modification will provide continuing technical engineering, logistics, configuration management, quality assurance, operation and maintenance for AEGIS program support sites located in NJ. These facilities incorporate highly integrated, classified, real-time networks that connect numerous contractor and United States government facilities required to build, integrate and deliver computer code for U.S. Navy and Foreign Military Sales requirements.”

While Spain has not deployed SM-3 missiles, it has sent its F100 AEGIS frigates to participate in American ballistic missile defense exercises as tracking ships. Work will be performed in Moorestown, NJ, and is expected to be complete by September 2012. US Naval Sea Systems Command in Washington, DC manages the contracts, and acts as Japan & Spain’s FMS agent (N00024-10-C-5124).

Sept 29/11: Lockheed Martin Mission Systems & Sensors in Moorestown, NJ receives a $157.6 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for engineering, alteration installation/repair overhaul execution, computer program maintenance, in-country support services, and staging support to fulfill Aegis lifetime support requirements of the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force. This includes both the radar and combat system components, and if all options are exercised, the contract total could rise to $228.2 million.

Work will be performed in Moorestown, NJ (82.9%); Baltimore, MD (3.4%); Tokyo, Japan (3.1%); Seoul, South Korea (2.5%); Kongsberg, Norway (2.3%); Washington, DC (1.3%); Nagasaki, Japan (1.1%); Yokohama, Japan (1.1%); Pusan, South Korea (0.8%); Maizuru, Japan (0.5%); Sasebo, Japan (0.5%); and Yokosuka, Japan (0.5%), and is expected to be completed by January 2016. Since it’s a Foreign Military Sale contract, it was not competitively procured by US Naval Sea Systems Command in Washington, DC, which acts as Japan’s agent (N00024-11-C-5106).

Sept 17/11: Mianichi Daily News reports US notification to Japan that the SM-3 Block IIA will be delayed 2 years, because the kill vehicle needs additional testing. The USA will cover the additional costs.

The original development plan involved a 9-year effort ending in 2014, with Japan paying $1.0 – 1.2 billion, and the USA $1.1 – 1.5 billion. That will now extend to 2016, with the USA looking to deploy the new missile in 2018. Japan had planned to deploy the SM-3 Block IIA in 2020 on its Kongo Class BMD destroyers, and the question is whether that deployment will also be delayed.

Sept 7/11: Mianichi Daily News reports that Japan’s Defense Ministry has begun launching about 15 mock missiles and collecting data, in a YEN 8.2 billion (currently about $106 million) bid to boost the accuracy of detecting and tracking missiles under the missile defense plan. The operation is expected to run until the end of March 2013.

July 2/09: Lockheed Martin Maritime Systems and Sensors of Moorestown, NJ receives a $7 million modification to a previously awarded contract (N00024-04-C-5144) for Japan AEGIS Modernization Lifetime Support to Kongo and Atago class ships.

Lockheed Martin will provide planning, scheduling, and execution support for Japan, while preparing for and responding to price and availability requests, conducting studies, computer program modifications, helping the U.S. Navy develop a technology control plan to protect sensitive technologies, and future cooperative development and interface between U.S. and Japan AEGIS baselines. This modification includes options which would increase the cumulative value of the contract to $41 million. Lockheed Martin will perform the work in Moorestown, NJ and expects to complete it by March 2010. The Naval Sea Systems Command in Washington, DC manages the contract.

Nov 6/07: The JS Kongo participates in an ABM exercise with a fully functional AEGIS BMD system, using it to detect, track and conduct a simulated engagement of the ballistic missile targets. In the first dual-firing test, 2 SM-3 Block IA missiles fired simultaneously from the USS Lake Erie [CG 70] destroy 2 short-range ballistic missile targets launched from the U.S. Navy’s Pacific Missile Range Facility on Kauai, Hawaii. The test marked the 10th and 11th successful intercepts for the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense system’s SM-3. Kongo is scheduled to conduct Japan’s first firing flight test in late 2007. Lockheed Martin release.

June 22/06: As North Korea prepares to test-launch a Taepodong-2 ballistic missile reportedly capable of hitting the US mainland, the US & Japan successfully conducted a joint missile intercept test off of Hawaii using the USS Shiloh [CG 67] guided missile cruiser and its upgraded AEGIS radar & combat system, firing an SM-3 missile. The test was the 7th successful intercept in 8 tests during the current program.

The USS Lake Erie [CG 70], USS Paul Hamilton [DDG 60], & USS Milius [DDG 69] also participated, as did the Japanese Kongo Class destroyer JS Kirishima [DDG-174], which has installed AEGIS Long Range surveillance & Tracking 3.0 but no engagement capability. Testing also included receipt of target data on USS Shiloh from a land-based radar, as well as a second CG-47 Class cruiser that used the flight test to collect data and further the development of an upgraded SPY-1B radar with a new signal processor. See Navy News article | Lockheed Martin release.

Additional Readings

* DID – Serious Dollars for AEGIS Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD). Covers American contracts and plans for AEGIS BMD’s evolution, as well as missile defense tests by the USA and Japan to date.

* DID – Raytheon’s Standard Missile Naval Defense Family (SM-1 to SM-6). Note that there are 3 versions of the SM-3 missile, with significant differences between them.

* Naval Technology – Kong? Class Guided Missile Destroyers, Japan

* Wikipedia – Atago class destroyer. A larger (10,000+ ton) variant of the Kongo Class, much as the smaller DDG-51 Flight IIAs are a larger variant of America’s DDG-51 Arleigh Burke Class. There is some debate as to whether this is properly its own class of ship.

* Information Dissemination (June 21/07) – US Navy Ballistic Missile Defense. Well researched article covering the USA’s plans in this area, including ships slated to receive ABM capability.