Japan Wants To Arm Its Submarines With Long-Range Cruise Missiles
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.
The Yomiuri Shimbun report stresses the potential for JMSDF submarines armed with the new cruise missiles to attack ground targets, in particular “enemy missile launch bases for the purpose of self-defense.” However, an accompanying graphic shows a submerged submarine using the same weapon to target a hostile surface combatant, as well. Indeed, the article suggests that the anti-ship version of the missile would actually be introduced first, “to counterattack enemy ships from outside the missile range of the opponent,” before the same weapon is further adapted for “attacking enemy bases in the future.” Ultimately, it would seem likely that a single missile would be furnished for both anti-ship and land-attack roles, as is the case with the Tomahawk Block IV, or the Norwegian-designed Joint Stike Missile (JSM), which Japan has procured for its F-35 stealth jets.
The emphasis on “self-defense” reflects the need for the Japanese military to at least frame capabilities such as these within the context of the country’s constitution, which rules out offensive action. However, the reality around this provision is fast degrading, with significant recent developments including acceptance of fixed-wing-capable aircraft carriers.
https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/43683/japan-wants-to-arm-its-submarines-with-long-range-cruise-missiles-report
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