Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani has announced that Tokyo proposed joint production of the Standard Missile 6 (SM-6) ship-to-air missile during his meeting with U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on March 30.
“It is a wider task for us, for both defense industries to support each other, to complement each other through co-development, co-production, co-sustainment and other initiatives, especially the stable delivery of missiles, is crucial for both sides,” Nakatani said during a joint press conference, after the first U.S.-Japan defense ministers’ meeting to take place since Donald Trump took office in January again.
“Under the framework of defense industrial cooperation, acquisition and sustainment forum, DICAS for short, we affirm to expedite efforts to start co-production of advanced mid-range air to air Missile or AMRAAM, as early as we can in action,” Japan’s defense chief said, adding “And I conveyed my intention to pursue the possibility of co-production of surface to air missile SM-6 as well.”
At the two-plus-two security talks between the foreign and defense ministers of the U.S. and Japan in Tokyo in July 2024, both governments had already agreed to “pursue mutually beneficial co-production opportunities to expand production capacity of AMRAAM and Patriot Advanced Capability-3 Missile Segment Enhancement (PAC-3 MSE).”
Nakatani’s proposal this time will not only include joint production of AMRAAM and PAC-3 MSE missiles, which have been under consideration since the previous Joe Biden administration, but also include the long-range ship-to-air missile SM-6 by using the forum on Defense Industrial Cooperation, Acquisition and Sustainment (DICAS).
“Until now, we have announced missiles such as AMRAAM and PAC-3 as candidates for joint production at the 2+2 meeting in July last year. Within the framework of the DICAS, we have been discussing privately which missiles could be the subject of future joint production as a mutually beneficial project for both Japan and the United States. As for the SM-6, Japan itself recognizes it as an essential missile for the self-defense of AEGIS System Equipped Vessels (ASEVs). It is also an important long-range ship-to-air missile for the U.S. Navy. If the production capabilities of Japan and the United States can complement each other in the SM-6, it could bring benefits not only to deliveries to Japan, but also to defense production and technological base. Therefore, Minister Nakatani told Secretary Hegseth that he would like to pursue the possibility of joint production of SM-6 in the future.”
Japanese Defense Ministry official
According to the MoD official, the U.S. side responded, by saying “We would like to continue to discuss the joint production of missiles that are mutually beneficial for both Japan and the United States, including the SM-6, as well as AMRAAM, and PAC3 that we have discussed so far, even at an administrative level. We understand the importance, so we would like to deepen the discussion at the administrative level in the future.”
The MoD plans to build two ASEVs for the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force. The naval vessels will serve as alternatives to the nation’s now-defunct land-based Aegis Ashore ballistic missile defense system. These ships are scheduled to be commissioned in fiscal year 2027 and 2028, respectively.
The ASEVs will be 190 meters long, 25 meters wide, and have a standard displacement of 12,000 tons. The new ships are equipped with the SM-6, which can intercept cruise missiles and hypersonic glide vehicles (HGVs) as well as the SM-3 Block IIA, which boasts high interception capabilities against ballistic missiles.
Japan and the US are also co-developing the Glide Phase Interceptor (GPI), a next-generation missile defense system, specifically designed to shoot down hypersonic missiles. The two nations are planning to complete development of the GPI by the 2030s.
The SM-6 missile is built by U.S. aerospace company RTX, formerly Raytheon. RTX describes the SM-6 as “three missiles in one” and “the only weapon that can perform anti-air warfare, anti-surface warfare and ballistic missile defense or sea-based terminal missions.” The SM-6 can engage manned and unmanned aircraft attacks and cruise missiles, according to RTX.
“The SM-6 missile has demonstrated the ability to hit a surface target, and it can strike from any ship or location, supporting the U.S.Navy’s pursuit of sea control,” the company website states.
The missile is deployable on 60 surface ships, and the company has already delivered more than 500 missiles to the U.S. Navy.
