Japan has test-fired a hypersonic missile it is developing and released footage of it, according to a report by a division of the Japanese Ministry of Defense and Timothy Wright, a member of the Defense and Military Analysts Program at the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS).
The first launch took place on March 23 in California.
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“Pre-launch testing of a hypersonic glide vehicle (HVGP) for island defense was conducted,” the Japanese Procurement, Technology and Logistics Agency said.
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This year, Japan conducted two missile defense tests – in March and April. Citing the rocket manufacturer, Wright says the purpose of the test is to test the measurement units and inertial guidance system. He noted that the Japanese Ministry of Defense did not specify whether the warhead was separated from the upper stage during both tests or not.
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The rocket manufacturer is the Japanese company Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. The range is 500 kilometers, which the missile travels at high hypersonic speed. The anti-missile missile is designed to intercept enemy forces at a distance and at an early stage. A version of the HVGP called Block I is expected to enter service in Japan in 2026.
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It is reported that by 2030, the Japanese army will have a Block 2 missile with a range of 3,000 kilometers. According to Wright, Japan is currently developing at least seven new types of air, sea and land-based missiles to attack land and sea targets and is purchasing three different missile designs from the United States.
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Earlier, the Pentagon reported that the military departments of the United States and Japan signed an agreement on the joint development of a hypersonic missile interceptor.
