Japan is planning to test the tracking capabilities of space-based infrared sensors to strengthen defense against hypersonic missiles. The country aims to gradually establish a space-based sensing system to monitor the development of hypersonic weapons by China and Russia.
According to a report from Nikkei Asia, the Japanese Ministry of Defense plans to conduct tests of space-based infrared sensors onboard the unmanned resupply spacecraft “HTV-X Cargo Ship” at the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).
The HTV-X is expected to be launched for the first time in the 2025 fiscal year, replacing the previous generation of Japan’s unmanned resupply spacecraft, the “KOUNOTORI,” to provide supplies to the International Space Station. The testing will occur approximately one year into the spacecraft’s orbit around Earth after completing its resupply mission.
During the experiment, a simulated hypersonic missile body will be launched near Japan to test the HTV-X’s infrared sensor’s capability to detect and track the missile’s heat signature. If the effectiveness of this technology is confirmed, satellites will be equipped with these sensors.
Compared to conventional ballistic missiles, hypersonic missiles can fly at lower altitudes and speeds exceeding Mach 5, posing a significant challenge to existing air defense systems.
Detecting hypersonic missile launches promptly is crucial for interception, but ground-based monitoring systems may have blind spots due to the curvature of the Earth.
To address this, the United States and Japan are collaborating to develop interception capabilities and are expected to complete a new interceptor missile system around 2030.
The U.S. is also working on developing a tracking system for infrared sensors.
The U.S. Department of Defense announced a $1.3 billion deal with two contractors in 2022 to establish a satellite network to detect and track hypersonic missiles.
Meanwhile, the trilateral security partnership between Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States (AUKUS) has agreed to accelerate testing of hypersonic weapons. In November 2024, the U.S. Department of Defense announced the “HyFliTE” program under the second pillar of AUKUS, involving joint high-speed flight tests and experiments. An investment of $252 million will fund six trilateral test flights before 2028.
HyFliTE will integrate each country’s research and development achievements and experiences to expedite testing and reduce individual development costs, thereby enhancing collective security against adversaries like China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran.
In recent years, all branches of the U.S. military have invested in developing hypersonic weapons. The Army and Navy have designed hypersonic glide vehicles, while the Air Force has initiated several air-launched weapon projects.
The first U.S. stealth destroyer equipped with hypersonic weapons, the USS Zumwalt, is undergoing retrofitting and is scheduled for testing between 2027 and 2028. Each Zumwalt-class destroyer is expected to carry 12 hypersonic missiles for long-range precision strikes.
Recently, India announced the successful testing of hypersonic weapons. There are also reports indicating successful test flights by North Korea and Iran. Japan, Israel, South Korea, and Brazil are actively engaged in the development of hypersonic weapons.