Following the Chinese Communist Party’s suppression of Japan, Japanese Defense Minister Taro Kono visited the military base on Yonaguni Island, located approximately 110 kilometers from Taiwan, on November 23. He announced that the deployment plan for air defense missiles is steadily progressing. The Type 03 surface-to-air missile was developed by Mitsubishi Electric in the 1990s and officially entered service in 2003. With a maximum flight speed of 2.5 Mach, an operational range of 60 kilometers or more, it fills the gap between the Type 81 short-range surface-to-air missile and the Patriot missile.
Mitsubishi Electric has since begun developing an improved version of the Type 03 missile, updating the infrared seeker and guidance system while incorporating a dual-pulse rocket motor to increase flight speed. The overall weight has also been reduced, making it a brand new air defense missile.
In addition to the air defense missiles, Japan had previously deployed the Type 12 anti-ship missile on Yonaguni Island. The accelerated development of the improved Type 12 missile features a stealthy aerodynamic shape similar to the American AGM-158 series, with a maximum range increased from 200 kilometers to 900 kilometers, and plans to further reach around 1500 kilometers in the future. The Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force has already equipped the improved Type 12 missile, while also the testing of the “Island Defense Hypersonic Glide Vehicle.” Both of these missiles made their first appearance during the “Fuji Integrated Firepower Exercise 2025” held in June of this year.
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