Japan has signed a contract with the United States to purchase up to 400 Tomahawk ground-launched cruise missiles to ensure stability and security amid China's military rise and North Korea's threats. This was reported by Kyodo News, according to UNN.
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On Thursday, Japan officially signed a contract with the United States to purchase up to 400 Tomahawk ground-launched cruise missiles. The deal, conducted through Washington's overseas military sales program, will cost Japan $1.7 billion. According to the Ministry of Defense, payments will be made over three years, starting in April 2025.
Initially, Japan planned to receive the latest Tomahawk Block-5 missiles in 2026-2027 to be installed on the Maritime Self-Defense Forces destroyers with the Aegis system. However, in October, the country decided to start the procurement earlier and switch to purchasing 200 copies of the previous version, the older Block-4 model.
During the exchange of documents, Japanese Defense Minister Minoru Kihara noted that the decision to purchase the Tomahawk was made against the backdrop of China's military rise and North Korea's threats.
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The Japanese Ministry of Defense also announced the signing of another contract in October for the purchase of Norwegian Joint Strike Missiles. These missiles, with a range of about 500 kilometers, are expected to be installed on F-35A stealth fighters.
Японія запустила ракету з розвідувальним супутником на борту12.01.24, 07:05