The Japanese Ministry of Defense is considering increasing weapons "Hyper Velocity Gliding Projectile" (HVGP), a new type of missile that is being tried in fiscal year 2026 to defend remote islands from sea attacks, and increase anti-ship defense capabilities, has been studied by Japan, reports Mainichi. The move aims to increase the defense of the Nansei Islands in southwestern Japan amid Chinese maritime activity in the region. The HVGP projectile can glide at high speed after its load is released from rockets in the upper atmosphere where air resistance is low. Missiles are able to follow complex trajectories under the guidance of GPS and other systems, making it more difficult for enemies to intercept them than using conventional missiles.
The Ministry of Defense is considering equipping HVGP with a new type of warhead capable of penetrating the deck of the aircraft carrier. However, increasing the range of fire and weapons capability of the Self-Defense Force (SDF) can be questioned for its consistency with Japan's defense-oriented policy. Therefore the Ministry plans to give consideration, such as limiting the missile range to around 500 kilometers or less.
HVGP development will come in two stages. In the first phase, an initial type of equipment will be developed for possible placement by the Ground Self-Defense Force (GSDF) in fiscal year 2026, which targets potential enemies that attack remote Japanese islands. In the second stage, improved types will be developed for possible installations in fiscal year 2028 or newer, displaying claw-shaped warhead payloads, increased firing speed and range, and more complex trajectories.
In addition, the Ministry is also considering introducing anti-ship missiles and sophisticated anti-surface missiles, which are currently being investigated by the Acquisition, Technology & Logistics Agency. If this technology is incorporated into HVGP, projectiles can penetrate the deck of the aircraft carrier, which is thicker than the outer wall, which explodes and makes damage inside the aircraft carrier, making it impossible to land and fly the aircraft, and destroy targets with a radius of several hundred square meters.
Behind the ministry's move lies an increasingly intensive Chinese Navy movement in waters near the Senkaku Islands in Okinawa Prefecture and other parts of Japan. In 2012, China commissioned the Liaoning aircraft carrier, and the second aircraft carrier, Shandong, was launched in 2019. Shandong was the first Chinese-made aircraft carrier. Beijing is said to be continuing to add at least two aircraft carriers.
Chinese government vessels have often been seen navigating in adjacent zones near the Senkaku Islands and infiltrating Japanese territorial waters. While the main islands of Okinawa and Senkakus are about 420 kilometers, the range of GSDF missiles is currently set at more than one hundred kilometers. The introduction of a long-range missile to protect the Nansei Islands will enable Japan to respond to Chinese activities without using warships and Maritime Self-Defense Force warplanes.
The Ministry of Defense allocates a total budget of 18.5 billion yen in the 2018 and 2019 fiscal budgets for HVGP research for the defense of remote islands, and plans to add another 25 billion yen to the 2020 fiscal budget. However, some members of the Japanese Diet Parliament have shown that gains New capabilities can "enable the SDF to directly attack other countries' territories" and "deviate from Japan's exclusive defense-oriented policies." The development of new technology is also feared to threaten Japan's neighbors.
The government has defended the development of the HVGP, stating, "Weapons are intended for the defense of the homeland and are not considered attack weapons."
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