Japan approved for $3.6 billion AMRAAM purchase
Japan has requested the purchased of more AMRAAM which are carried on the country’s fighter aircraft including F-15J/DJ jets. (Photo: Japanese Air Self-Defense Force)
The request is for up to 1,200 Raytheon (RTX) AIM-120 (D-3/C-8) Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAMs), along with ancillary equipment and services.
Japan’s request for 1,200 AIM-120D-3 and AIM-120C-8 AMRAAM has been approved as a Foreign Military Sale (FMS) by the US State Department. Notification of the approval has been forward to the US Congress by the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA).
The deal, if fully realised, will be worth up to US$3.6 billion and along with the actual missiles will include up to 20 AIM-120D-3 guidance sections and up to four AIM-120C-8 guidance sections.
The deal also includes AMRAAM propulsion sections, warheads, AIM-120 captive air training missiles, missile containers and control section spares.
Related Articles
Raytheon strikes deal with new rocket motor maker to secure supply chain
Why is there an “insatiable demand” worldwide for AMRAAM?
More AMRAAMs approved for Denmark under $744 million deal
In addition, it includes common munitions built-in test reprogramming equipment and ADU-891 adaptor group test sets, munitions support and support equipment.
Similarly, approval was granted for the sale of up to 30 AIM-120C-8 AMRAAM and one AIM-120C-8 AMRAAM guidance section to Morrocco. The deal will be worth $88.4 million and the missiles will be used on the country’s newly acquired fleet of Lockheed Martin F-16 Block 72 fighter aircraft.
The deals, both signed within the past fortnight, follow the Pentagon placing the largest-ever contract for the supply of the missile in September last year.
The $1.2 billion agreement covered the production of Lot 38, which will supply AMRAAMs to Bahrain, Bulgaria, Canada, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Norway, Switzerland, Ukraine, the UK, the US Navy and the US Air Force.
In 2024, the DSCA approved the provision of AMRAAMs to Israel, Norway, Romania and Singapore under the FMS programme.
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
More from Air Warfare
-
![Leonardo and Baykar join forces to develop uncrewed aerial systems]()
Leonardo and Baykar join forces to develop uncrewed aerial systems
Baykar’s AKINCI drone will be the first focus platform for the joint venture, with the first prototype targeted for development in 12 to 18 months.
-
![Boeing delivers last Apache AH-64E Guardian attack helicopter to British Army]()
Boeing delivers last Apache AH-64E Guardian attack helicopter to British Army
The helicopters have been remanufactured using common parts from the British Army AH-64 MkI fleet with the 17 not being converted going for a range of uses such as engineering, ground handling and other training.
-
![Aselsan conducts live-fire test of Gözde guidance kit with F-16 aircraft]()
Aselsan conducts live-fire test of Gözde guidance kit with F-16 aircraft
The test is a first for the kit, developed via a partnership between Aselsan and Tübitak SAGE, to hit a high-speed moving target.
