A reserve spy satellite was launched by Japan from its Tanegashima Space Centre on 1 February 2015.
Following a three-day delay due to bad weather a two-stage H-IIA 202 carrier rocket lifted the Mitsubishi Electric-built satellite equipped with a second-generation radar into orbit. Details of the satellite’s exact capabilities remain secret.
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) confirmed that the rocket launched normally. The H-IIA rocket has only failed once in 26 flights to date.
Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe stated that the government will build a reliable system for gathering information in order to
Our news & analysis is now part of Defence Insight®
A Basic-level or higher Defence Insight subscription is now required to view this content.
At SOF Week 2026, Sean O’Neill, Senior Business Development Manager with Iris Technology, discusses the growing importance of tactical power management systems for modern military operations.
At SOF Week 2026, Austin Farnham, President of Octane Wireless, discusses how direct feedback from special operations forces is helping shape the next generation of battlefield communications technology.
The Northrop Grumman Integrated Battle Command System is in service with Poland and the US Army with another 20 countries believed to have expressed an interest.
The Thales DigitalCrew package, first unveiled at last year’s Defence IQ International Armoured Vehicles conference, is designed to merge imaging and apply a layer of decision-making and observation algorithms to support crew and other personnel.
Nomad can provide militaries with real-time intelligence, saving critical time on the battlefield.
Taurus operates alongside the Israel Defense Forces’ Orion system which supports mission management across tens of thousands of manoeuvring forces, from squad leaders to battalion commanders.
Connect with us on socials
