Aegis system equipped vessels (ASEV)

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File:AESV proposed artist conception.jpg
Speculative artistic conception
Class overview
NameAegis system equipped vessels (ASEV)
Operators Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force
Planned2
General characteristics
Displacement20,000 long tons (20,000 t) standard
Length690 ft (210 m)
Beam130 ft (40 m)
Complement110
Sensors and
processing systems
  • SPY-7(V)1 multi-function radar
  • J7.B Aegis Weapon System
Armament
NotesBallistic Missile Defense (BMD)

Aegis system equipped vessels (ASEV) or イージス・システム搭載艦 in Japanese is the designation for a pair of cruiser-sized ballistic missile defense (BMD) warships to be operated by the Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF) as dedicated ship-based BMD platforms, serving as an alternative to Japan's now-cancelled land-based Aegis Ashore BMD system.[Note 1] When completed, the two warships will be the largest surface combatant ships in service with the JMSDF, and according to Popular Mechanics, they will "arguably [be] the largest deployable surface warships in the world."[1]

Background

See also: North Korea and weapons of mass destruction and China and weapons of mass destruction

On 19 December 2017, the Cabinet of Japan approved a plan to purchase two Aegis Ashore systems equipped with the AN/SPY-7(V)1, based on Lockheed Martin's Long Range Discrimination Radar (LRDR) to increase Japan’s self-defence capability against North Korea, using SM-3 Block IIA missiles, and also could work with SM-6 interceptors capable of shooting down cruise missiles.[2][3][4] The installation sites are at a Ground Self-Defense Force training area in Araya District, Akita Prefecture and the Mutsumi training area in Hagi, Yamaguchi Prefecture.[5] On 30 July 2018, Japan picked Lockheed Martin Corp to build a $1.2 billion radar for two ground-based Aegis ballistic missile defense stations. These are meant to guard against missile strikes.[6] On the same day, Japan's Defense Ministry said to be considering to withdraw PAC3 missile interceptor units from the country's northern and western region amid an easing of tensions with North Korea. Ministry officials told that North Korea is less likely to fire ballistic missiles after it held a summit with the United States the previous month. But the officials also said the ministry will maintain its order to destroy any incoming missiles. They added that the ministry will be ready to quickly redeploy the PAC3 units if the situation changes.[7]

BMD maneuvers (October 6, 2022)

Japan's Foreign Minister Hirofumi Nakasone and South Korea's Minister of Foreign Affairs Yu Myung-hwan agreed that the launch[8] of the North Korean Unha-2 satellite on April 5, 2009, violated United Nations resolutions 1695 and 1718, both adopted in 2006. Japan's cabinet examined approval of a JMSDF AEGIS BMD engagement in the event of a failure of the Taepondong launch.[9][10][11] The Japanese government also noted that it could bypass cabinet for an interception under Article 82, Section 2, Paragraph 3 of the Self-Defence Forces law.[12] In total, five AEGIS destroyers were deployed at that time.[13] Supplemental to SM-3 capability the Japanese system incorporates an airborne component. Together discrimination between platform tests and satellite launches is possible by analyzing the angle of ascent.[14]

On 15 June 2020, Japanese Defense Minister Taro Kono announced that work had been halted on the deployment of the system because additional costs would be needed to ensure that residential buildings would not be hit by rocket boosters used to launch the missiles.[15] Later in the month Japan's National Security Council confirmed the cancellation of the plan.[16] On 23 September 2020, Lockheed Martin note the potential expense to convert the anti-aircraft (AA) system for maritime use since a revamp in the design is required.[17] The JMSDF has equipped four ships of the Kongo-class destroyers for Long-Range Surveillance Team (LRST) and engagement — JS Kongo, JS Chokai, JS Myoko, and JS Kirishima.[18][19]

On 6 October 2022, five warships from the United States, Japan, and South Korea held a multilateral ballistic missile defense exercise in the Sea of Japan (pictured) as part of the military response to ongoing North Korean intermediate-range ballistic missile tests over the Japanese home islands.[20][21]

Missile ranges

  • Chinese Conventional Strike Ranges as of 2020

    Chinese Conventional Strike Ranges as of 2020

  • Chinese Nuclear Ballistic Missile Strike Ranges as of 2020

    Chinese Nuclear Ballistic Missile Strike Ranges as of 2020

  • Estimated range of North Korean missiles as of 2015

    Estimated range of North Korean missiles as of 2015

Design

CGH-67 design (1986)

In 2020, Japanese Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi announced plans to build 2 new Aegis destroyers to replace its scrapped land-based Aegis Ashore ballistic missile interceptors program.[22][23] On August 31, 2022, the Japan Ministry of Defense announced that JMSDF will operate two "Aegis system equipped ships" (イージス・システム搭載艦 in Japanese) to replace its earlier cancellation of the Aegis Ashore program, commissioning one ship by the end of fiscal year 2027, and the other by the end of FY2028. The budget for design and other related expenses are to be submitted in the form of “item requests” (i.e., engine components), without specific amounts, and the initial procurement of the lead items are expected to clear legislation by FY2023. Construction is to begin in the following year of FY2024.[1][22][24][25][26] The overall cost of building both ships is estimated to be 1 trillion yen ($7.1 billion USD).[22][27]

Preliminary design called for the ASEV to be based on the Small Waterplane Area Twin Hull (SWATH) configuration used by Hibiki-class ocean surveillance ships, with the combined main deck area sufficient to accommodate the Aegis radar deckhouse and accompanying battery of SM-6 interceptor missile silos.[26] Such a SWATH-based configuration would be comparable to the 1986 CGH-67 design study (pictured) by the then David W. Taylor Naval Ship Research and Development Center of the U.S. Navy's Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) albeit without the explicit BMD orientation.[28]

Current information describes the two ASEV ships as cruiser-sized warships with a standard displacement of 20,000 long tons (20,000 t) each, an overall length of 690 ft (210 m), and a beam of 130 ft (40 m) on a monohull configuration. The overall size is designed to provide a stable platform for its advanced sensors and weapon systems while also offering enhanced habitability for its 110-person crew for extended deployments and relative simplicity in construction. When completed, the two warships will be the largest surface combatant ships in service with the JMSDF, and according to Popular Mechanics, they will "arguably [be] the largest deployable surface warships in the world."[22][1][24][25]

Equipment

Ballistic missile defense and weapon systems

Standard SM-6 missile components

As a ship-based alternative to the land-based Aegis Ashore system, the Aegis system-equipped warships could be armed with the Standard Missile 6 (SM-6) Sea-Based Terminal (SBT) system (pictured), as well as the J7.B Aegis Weapon System and Lockheed Martin’s SPY-7(V)1 multi-functional radar, initially contracted for Aegis Ashore. According to Lockheed Martin, J7.B is the integration of SPY-7 into J7 (BL9), the latest software currently installed on JMSDF’s Aegis-equipped guided missile destroyers.[26][29][30] The SPY-7(V)1 radar uses scaled equipment and software derived from the advanced Long Range Discrimination Radar (LRDR) located in the Clear Space Force Station, Alaska, and operated by the Missile Defense Agency (MDA).[30]

In support of this objective, on 20 October 2022, the U.S. Department of State approved and the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) notified the United States Congress that Japan is set to be the first country after the United States to field the Standard Missile 6 (SM-6) as part of a proposed $450 million USD Foreign Military Sale (FMS) arms package. Pending Congressional approval, Japan was conditionally approved to buy up to 32 of the Raytheon-built SM-6 Block I missiles. This notification is a follow-up of a 2017 decision from U.S. Department of Defense that conditionally approved Japan, South Korea, and Australia to buy SM-6 missile systems.[31][32]

The ships will also be equipped to defend against Hypersonic Glide Vehicles, as such new hypersonic missile designs are too evasive for current ballistic missile defense systems to reliably intercept.[22][24] Finally, the two ships will be equipped with the upgraded sea-based version of the Type-12 anti-ship cruise missile (ASCM) system capable of striking land and naval targets with a range of around 1,000 km (540 nmi; 621 mi).[22][33] Given the manpower requirements, non-BMD armament may be limited to such close-in self-defense weapon systems as Phalanx CIWS or SeaRAM.[26]

Propulsion & power systems

Given the manning and electrical requirements, the Aegis system equipped vessels (ASEV) may require a highly automated, low maintenance, all-electrical propulsion systems such as:

Given the lack of specific institutional expertise and political considerations, it is highly unlikely that the ASEV warships will use nuclear power for propulsion such as the Bechtel Corporation A1B nuclear reactor developed for the United States Navy's Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carriers to provide electrical power and propulsion.

Criticisms

Senior research fellow Brent Sadler of The Heritage Foundation criticized the proposed ASEV program, noting that the total of two units was insufficient to keep a AESV ship deployed continuously at sea since the more typical operational cycle has one ship at sea on deployment, a second ship undergoing refit and upkeep following deployment, and a third ship going through work-up for deployment to relieve the first ship. Sadler also noted that the 2027-2029 timeframe to complete the construction of both AESV ships leaves Japan highly vulnerable during the interim period.[34] Regarding Japan's relative vulnerability, StrategyPage noted that the original Aegis Ashore BMD land-based facilities would not have been operational until 2024.[35] Finally, senior defense analyst Felix Chang at the Foreign Policy Research Institute (FPRI) observed that the proposed ASEV warships would be extremely vulnerable to such next-generation Chinese long-range anti-ship cruise missile (ASCM) systems as the DF-21D and DF-26, with DF-21D having a range of 1,500 kilometers while the DF-26 has a range of 4,000 kilometers. Chang also mentioned that China has fitted its DF-21D missiles with maneuverable warheads that guide with terminal seekers to compensate and correct for any inaccurate targeting data.[27]

Ships in the class

Pennant No. Name Home port Unit Shipyard Plan Laid down Launched Commissioned Status
TBD Unit 1 TBD TBD TBD 2023 TBD TBD 2027 Authorized
TBD Unit 2 TBD TBD TBD 2023 TBD TBD 2028 Authorized

Naming conventions

Neither ASEV warship has been officially named. Ships of the JMSDF are known as Self Defense Ships (自衛艦; Ji'ei-Kan) and are classified according to the warship type. Guided-missile destroyers (DDG) are named after the names of places in Japan, such as mountains and provinces while more conventional destroyers (DD) are named after natural phenomena in the heavens or the atmosphere as well as mountains, rivers or regions. It is not known if ASEV warship will have a new type designation such as guided-missile cruiser (CG) or ballistic missile defense ship (BMD Ship).

See also

Notes

File:Bmd-ship-lpd-2-770x385@2x.jpg
BMD variant of San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock
  1. ^ When constructed, these ASEV warship will be the only operation ballistic missile defense ships (BMD ship) afloat. Previously, Huntington Ingalls Industries had proposed to the U.S. Navy that a BMD variant of the San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock be considered armed with 288 Mk-41 VLS missile tubes and a BMD radar with 1000 times the sensitivity of the AN/SPY-1 radar of the Arleigh Burke-class destroyers

References

  1. ^ a b c Kyle Mizokami (12 September 2022). "Japan Defense Ministry plans new Aegis destroyers in place of Aegis Ashore". Popular Mechanics. Archived from the original on 12 September 2022. Retrieved 13 September 2022.
  2. ^ Japan to buy Aegis Ashore missile defense systems, Mari Yamaguchi, The Associated Press/DefenseNews.com, 2017-12-20
  3. ^ "Japan to expedite study on adopting land-based Aegis system". The Japan Times Online. 29 April 2017. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
  4. ^ "U.S. Government Designates Lockheed Martin's Latest Generation Radar: AN/SPY-7(V)1 - Nov 14, 2019". Media - Lockheed Martin. Retrieved 2019-12-24.
  5. ^ "Japan's defence chief seeks local support to deploy a land-based missile shield". The South China Morning Post. Associated Press. June 23, 2018.
  6. ^ "Japan picks $1.2 billion Lockheed radar for Aegis Ashore batteries". Reuters. 30 July 2018. Archived from the original on 2018-07-31.
  7. ^ "PAC3 missile defense units to be withdrawn". NHK World-Japan. Archived from the original on 2018-07-30.
  8. ^ North Korea Rocket Flew Over Japan, Government Says (Update1) - Bloomberg
  9. ^ Asia Times Online :: Korea News and Korean Business and Economy, Pyongyang News
  10. ^ Farley, Richard (24 March 2009). "Let's Shoot Something Down!". The American Prospect. Retrieved 2022-10-09.
  11. ^ "Japan to ready defense against N.Korea rocket: Kyodo". Reuters. March 17, 2009. Retrieved 2022-10-10.
  12. ^ "Interception of N. Korean rocket could be ordered by defense minister alone". Archived from the original on 2009-03-26. Retrieved 2009-03-24.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  13. ^ Allied Warships on Alert Over N. Korean Rocket Launch
  14. ^ Union of Concerned Scientists: Unha-2 analysis, March 18, 2009
  15. ^ "Kono suspends deployment of Aegis Ashore defense system". Asahi Shimbun. June 16, 2020. Retrieved 2022-10-11.
  16. ^ Yamaguchi, Mari (25 June 2020). "Japan confirms it's scrapping US missile defense system". DefenseNews. Gannett. Associated Press. Retrieved 26 June 2020.
  17. ^ "ミサイル防衛装備の洋上配備「合理的でない」 米側が指摘 | イージス・アショア | Nhkニュース". www3.nhk.or.jp. Archived from the original on 23 September 2020. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
  18. ^ Swaine, Michael D.; Swanger, Rachel M.; Kawakami, Takashi (2001). "Japan and Ballistic Missile Defense. RAND Report".
  19. ^ Shabalin, Maxim (2011). The Logic of BMD Procurement in Japan (1994-2007) (Thesis). Oxford University, UK.
  20. ^ LaGrone, Sam (October 6, 2022). "UPDATED: Warships from U.S., Japan, South Korea Ballistic Missile Defense Drills After North Korean Missile Shots". News Blog. United States Naval Institute. Retrieved October 11, 2022.
  21. ^ "US Navy, JMSDF And ROK Navy Conduct BMD Exercise". NavalNews.com. October 6, 2022. Retrieved October 25, 2022.
  22. ^ a b c d e f Kaigo Narisawa (September 3, 2022). "Defense Ministry not giving up on sea-based Aegis Ashore system". Asahi Shimbun. Retrieved 27 October 2022.
  23. ^ "Japan Defense Ministry plans new Aegis destroyers in place of Aegis Ashore". 24 November 2020. Archived from the original on 1 December 2020. Retrieved 29 December 2020.
  24. ^ a b c Lia Wong (1 September 2022). "Japanese Defense Budget Expansion Includes Two 20,000 Ton Cruisers". Overt Defense. Retrieved 7 September 2022.
  25. ^ a b Dzirhan Mahadzir (6 September 2022). "Japan to Build Two 20,000-ton Missile Defense Warships, Indian Carrier Commissions". USNI News Blog. Retrieved 7 September 2022.
  26. ^ a b c d Yoshihiro Inaba (1 September 2022). "Japan's New "Aegis Equipped Ships": What We Know So Far". NavalNews. Retrieved 7 September 2022.
  27. ^ a b Gabriel Honrada (September 6, 2022). "Japan's Aegis Ashore destroyer plan is full of holes". Asian Times. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
  28. ^ Donald McKelvy (26 May 2011). "US Navy CGH-67". Deep Blue to Wild Blue. Retrieved 23 October 2022.
  29. ^ "The SPY-7 Hybrid Defense Security Cooperation Project with Japan Completes Additional Capability Demonstration". Missile Defense Agency. September 13, 2022. Retrieved 23 October 2022.
  30. ^ a b "Japanese Aegis System-Equipped Vessel (ASEV) Successfully Demonstrates J7.B Software Build". Missile Defense Agency. September 13, 2022. Retrieved 14 October 2022.
  31. ^ LaGrone, Sam (October 20, 2022). "Japan Set to Buy SM-6s in Potential $450M Deal, Says State Department". News Blog. United States Naval Institute. Retrieved October 20, 2022.
  32. ^ "JAPAN – STANDARD MISSILE 6 BLOCK I (SM-6 BLK I) MISSILES". Press Release Transmittal No. 22-59. Defense Security Cooperation Agency. October 20, 2022. Retrieved October 21, 2022.
  33. ^ Inder Singh Bisht (15 September 2022). "Japan to Build Aegis-Equipped Ballistic Missile Defense Warships". DefensePost. Retrieved 30 September 2022.
  34. ^ Brent Sadler (October 20, 2022). "Headline: Japan to build two 20000ton missile defense warships". LinkedIn. Retrieved 23 October 2022.
  35. ^ "Air Defense: Aegis Ashore At Sea". StrategyPage. September 23, 2022. Retrieved 27 October 2022.

External links

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