Japan to upgrade missile interception system



Tokyo, Feb 15 (IANS): Japan is planning to acquire a greater range of ship-borne interceptors and has also considered buying a US land-based high-altitude interception system, the media reported on Monday.

The defence ministry plans to develop an improved version of the SM-3 interceptor rockets carried by Aegis vessels and is examining the US military’s ground-based Terminal High Altitude Area Defence system, known as THAAD, The Japan Times reported.

This comes after North Korea sent a missile - which it dubbed a space rocket - on a trajectory that took it more than 2,000 km on February 7. The launch mirrored one Pyongyang carried out in December 2012.

Four of the Maritime Self-Defence Force’s six Aegis destroyers are currently equipped with SM-3 interceptors. The ministry will upgrade the remaining two by fiscal 2018 and bring them into full compatibility.

In addition, the ministry will procure two more Aegis ships by fiscal 2020 to increase the total to eight.

  

Top Stories


Leave a Comment

Title: Japan to upgrade missile interception system



You have 2000 characters left.

Disclaimer:

Please write your correct name and email address. Kindly do not post any personal, abusive, defamatory, infringing, obscene, indecent, discriminatory or unlawful or similar comments. Daijiworld.com will not be responsible for any defamatory message posted under this article.

Please note that sending false messages to insult, defame, intimidate, mislead or deceive people or to intentionally cause public disorder is punishable under law. It is obligatory on Daijiworld to provide the IP address and other details of senders of such comments, to the authority concerned upon request.

Hence, sending offensive comments using daijiworld will be purely at your own risk, and in no way will Daijiworld.com be held responsible.