Japan Wants To Arm Its Submarines With Long-Range Cruise Missiles

[F-22Raptor]

Recent reports indicate that Japan is considering introducing a new long-range cruise missile capability to its existing submarine fleet, or future submarines, with a weapon that would have a range of over 620 miles and would be fielded from the latter half of the 2020s. The indigenous missile would provide the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, or JMSDF, with a new standoff capability to attack both enemy surface warships and land targets and is clearly seen as a potential counter to offset growing threats from China and North Korea.

A report in Japan’s Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper cites several unnamed government officials who confirm that Tokyo is looking at the possibility of equipping current and/or future JMSDF submarines with long-range cruise missiles. These would be derived from the Type 12 subsonic anti-ship missile that’s already in service with the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force, or JGSDF, and which has a range of around 124 miles in its current form. At this stage, both vertical launch system (VLS) and torpedo-tube-launched options are being examined for the new missile. As it stands, the JMSDF does not have any submarine-based VLS in service. There is also currently no confirmation of the size of magazine capacity being considered for the missile-armed submarines.

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zo...arines-with-long-range-cruise-missiles-report

 

[Get Ya Wig Split]

Fumio Kishida letting his nuts hang @beijingwalker

 

[S10]

Fumio Kishida letting his nuts hang @beijingwalker

He's going to need to buy a high power telescope to see the hanging fruit.

 

[Tshering22]

So what exactly were their Soryu-class submarines armed with until now? Don't tell me that the entire JMSDF was patrolling the seas with just a dozen active torpedos per submarine!

 

[S10]

So what exactly were their Soryu-class submarines armed with until now? Don't tell me that the entire JMSDF was patrolling the seas with just a dozen active torpedos per submarine!

They can also launch Harpoon missiles from its torpedo tubes and lay mines if needed.