Two Aegis Ashore equipped with new installations, and will provide continuous surveillance over the Pacific.


Japan has been gradually enhancing its defenses against ballistic missile threats since 2004 by adding ballistic missile defense capability to Aegis destroyers and deploying the Patriot Advanced Capability-3.

An automatic warning and control system known as Japan Aerospace Defense Ground Environment gathers and processes information recorded by radars across the country in order to respond quickly to ballistic missiles moving towards Japan.

The system can instantly send Aegis destroyers on the far side of the ocean to intercept missiles after automatically calculating the likely impact area. But the previous attempts to deploy the radar station ashore proved unsuccessful.

Lockheed Martin has completed a successful demonstration of its new SPY-7 radar and software integration program for the AEGIS missile defense system, which is planned in coming days for deployment by Japan’s Self Defense Forces.

The SPY-7 radar brings superior capability to sea or land-based platforms, utilizing proven production technology scaled from the Long Range Discrimination Radar, which recently achieved initial fielding in Clear, Alaska, stated Joe DePietro, vice president and general manager of Naval Combat and Missile Defense Systems at Lockheed Martin.

As new threats emerge, SPY-7 integrated with Aegis will protect Japan and its citizens, he added.