Japan’s Ministry of Defense (MoD) formally inked contracts for the production of two new-build naval destroyers being equipped with the AEGIS air warfare battle management system. The new vessels – referred to as Aegis System Equipped Vessels (ASEVs) – are planned for commissioning in 2027 and 2028.
The Japanese MoD is spending JPY272.1 billion ($1.89 billion) for the two vessels, with the first contract awarded to Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) at the cost of JPY139.7 billion, and the second going to Japan Marine United Corp. for JPY132.4 billion. MHI will deliver its vessel in 2027, with Japan Marine’s following a year later.
The two destroyers are meant to fill a capacity gap in Japan’s national Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) network created when Tokyo opted in June 2020 to scrap its previous decision to deploy two Lockheed Martin AEGIS Ashore ballistic missile defense systems. Then-Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi announced the project for two additional AEGIS-equipped destroyers on December 9, 2020. Their pending build was confirmed in the Japanese government’s Defense Buildup Program released in December 2022.
The primary role for the new warships will be to counter the threat of North Korean missiles. They are expected to have a displacement of 12,000 tons, a length of 623 feet, and carry 128 vertical launch system (VLS) cells for ballistic missile defense. They will also feature launchers for the indigenous Type-12 anti-ship missile and the Tomahawk long-range cruise missile, as well as the SPY-7 radar system from Lockheed Martin.
Currently, Japan’s Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) operates a total of eight Aegis-equipped warships – all destroyers – in its fleet. These consist of four Kongo-class destroyers all commissioned in the 1990s and upgraded with the Aegis system between 2007 and 2010, two Atago (Improved Kongo) class ships delivered in 2007 and 2008 and upgraded with Aegis systems in 2019, and two Maya (Improved Atago) class vessels commissioned in 2020 and 2021.
The addition of two more Aegis-equipped destroyers will bring this fleet up to 10 ships, which will meet the outlined requirement of the Defense Buildup Program.
Meanwhile, the Defense Ministry is beginning to examine an eventual successor to the aging Kongo-class destroyers. Under its fiscal year 2025 (FY25) budget request the MoD included JPY3.3 billion ($22.95 million) for technical research costs related to studies on a replacement option for the Kongo warships. If fiscal concerns – such as a weakened yen or the need to raise taxes – remain pressing, then an upgrade program for this class may have to suffice instead for the near-term.
Dan Darling is Forecast International’s director of military and defense markets. In this role, Dan oversees a team of analysts tasked with covering everything from budgeting to weapons systems to defense electronics and military aerospace. Additionally, for over 17 years Dan has, at various times, authored the International Military Markets reports for Europe, Eurasia, the Middle East and the Asia-Pacific region.
Dan's work has been cited in Defense News, Real Clear Defense, Asian Military Review, Al Jazeera, and Financial Express, among others, and he has also contributed commentary to The Diplomat, The National Interest and World Politics Review. He has been quoted in Arabian Business, the Financial Times, Flight International, The New York Times, Bloomberg and National Defense Magazine.
In addition, Dan has made guest appearances on the online radio show Midrats and on The Media Line, as well as The Red Line Podcast, plus media appearances on France 24 and World Is One News (WION).
