Analysis: Japanese BMD solutions face challenges
North Korea’s continued cruise missile, intermediate-range ballistic missile and intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launches – 14 to date in 2017 – have caused Tokyo to seriously rethink its to ballistic missile defence (BMD) approach as it now eyes Aegis Ashore.
North Korean Hwasong-12 missiles flew over Japanese territory on 29 August and 15 September, while Scud short-range ballistic missiles launched on 6 March and 29 May and a Hwasong-14 ICBM launched on 4 July dropped into Japan’s EEZ.
To intercept ballistic missiles outside the atmosphere, the Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force (JMSDF) has four 9,500t Kongo-class Aegis destroyers utilising
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