Japan to boost surface fleet with new destroyers and missile ships
Japan has eight Aegis-equipped destroyers, including the Atago-class pictured here. The arrival of 13DDX and AESVs will boost the destroyer force. (Photo: Gordon Arthur)
Japan is enhancing its naval capabilities with the construction of the 13DDX advanced destroyer and Aegis System Equipped Vessels (AESV), aiming to strengthen its air and missile defence amid increasing security threats, particularly in East Asia.
Japan is moving forward with two new classes of naval vessel – the 13DDX advanced destroyer and the Aegis System Equipped Vessels (AESV) – amid a toughening security environment.
The latest Defence of Japan 2024 white paper stated: “Japan is facing the most severe and complex security environment since the end of World War II. It cannot be ruled out that a serious situation similar to Russia’s aggression against Ukraine may occur in the Indo-Pacific region in future, particularly in East Asia.”
The white paper, released on 12 July, confirmed the signing of a design contract for the ASEVs. Mitsubishi
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