Japan boosts air defense with billion-dollar missile deal
Japan has requested to purchase over a thousand AIM-120 AMRAAM medium-range air-to-air missiles from the American government, and their request was approved. Here, we present what exactly the Land of the Rising Sun will receive.
The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), which is part of the Pentagon, announced the approval for a potential sale to Japan. This sale amounts to a maximum of $3.64 billion and includes 1,200 AIM-120 AMRAAM medium-range air-to-air missiles in the AIM-120C-8 and AIM-120D-3 versions, along with 20 AIM-120D-3 guiding sections, and four AIM-120C-8 guiding sections.
Additionally, the package includes training in handling the missiles, spare parts, AIM-120 Captive Air Training Missiles (CATM) along with Common Munitions Built-in Test (CMBRE) testing equipment.
It is worth noting that the final value of the contract will likely be lower than the approved amount. The contractor for this deal will be RTX Corporation (formerly Raytheon), based in Tucson. This purchase represents a significant strengthening of Japan, the main US ally in the region, in case of a confrontation with China.
AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles — the long arm of the US Air Force and most NATO countries
AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles are guided medium-range air-to-air missiles that have become the standard among NATO armed forces. They were introduced into service in the US Air Force in 1991, initially in the AIM-120A version. Currently, the dominant models are the AIM-120C-6 and AIM-120C-7, with production of the AIM-120C-8 and AIM-120D-3 versions having recently begun.
Production of the AIM-120C-7 has been ongoing since 1998. These missiles can reach a range of about 100 kilometres, but in the era of missiles with an estimated range of nearly 200 kilometres, such as the MBDA Meteor or its Chinese copy PL-15, it is not enough. To address this, the AIM-120D-3 variant was developed, with a range estimated at about 160 kilometres. Meanwhile, the AIM-120C-8 are refurbished AIM-120C-7 missiles with upgraded components.
All AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles are of the "fire-and-forget" type, meaning they are equipped with an advanced guidance system based on an active radar seeker. This allows the missiles to use their own radar wave emitter, supported by GPS and INS navigation, eliminating the need for the pilot to continuously track the target until impact.
In the AIM-120D-3 version, an additional two-way data link was added, enabling communication between the missile and aircraft after launch for, e.g., updating the target's position. This is crucial because the radar in the nose of the missile has a limited range of about 10 to 30 kilometres, depending on the radar cross-section of the target.
This is a massive advancement compared to earlier systems with semi-active radar homing, such as the AIM-7 Sparrow, where the pilot had to maintain the course on the target with the onboard radar until impact.
It is worth adding that beyond aviation, AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles can also be used in ground-based NASAMS air defence systems, which effectively protect strategic sites in Ukraine from drones and cruise missiles. However, when launched from the ground, their range significantly decreases, reaching less than 40 kilometres. This reduction is due to the higher air resistance at lower altitudes compared to altitudes of 15,000-20,000 metres.
