Japan to Order 500 Tomahawk Missiles from US in FY 2023

By Staff, Agencies

Japan plans to order up to 500 Tomahawk cruise missiles from the United States in fiscal 2023 to bolster its defenses, including the ability to strike menacing enemy bases.

Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada said on Feb. 14 that the expenses for the required Tomahawks will be covered in the budget proposal submitted to the current Diet session.

The government has earmarked 211.3 billion yen [$1.59 billion] in the budget plan for fiscal 2023, which starts in April, to buy Tomahawk missiles. The Defense Ministry aims to deploy them by March 2027.

Ministry officials said the costs to upgrade its Aegis-equipped destroyers and other projects for installation of the Tomahawks will come from the budgets for fiscal 2024 and beyond.

The ministry also plans to upgrade Type 12 surface-to-ship missiles to give them the capacity to strike enemy bases. The Japanese-made weapon is expected to be deployed in fiscal 2026 with an extended range of 1,000 kilometers.

However, the Type 12 project could be delayed.

The announced bulk purchase of Tomahawks reflects Tokyo’s aim to ensure a prompt upgrade of the nation’s defenses with the proven US weapon.

The Tomahawk missile is a precision weapon that can be launched from ships and submarines and can hit targets about 1,610 km away, according to the manufacturer.