US Navy begins Tomahawk missile training courses for Japanese
 

U.S. Navy begins Tomahawk missile training courses for Japanese
By: Naval News April 2024 Navy Forces Maritime Defense Industry
Posted 02-04-24 ~ 17:00
Re: https://www.navyrecognition.com/inde...-japanese.html

According to information published by the Japanese MoD on March 28, 2024,
training courses for Maritime Self-Defense Force personnel on the Tomahawk
missile began on the 25th of this month at the U.S. Navy base in Yokosuka.
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On January 18, 2024, Japan's Ministry of Defense announced a formal contract worth about $1.7
billion with the U.S. government to acquire up to 400 U.S.-made long-range Tomahawk cruise
missiles.

This purchase is part of a broader defense strategy to bolster Japan's counterstrike capability, amid
concerns over the military advancements of regional neighbors such as Russia, China, and North Korea,
all of whom are advancing their hypersonic weapon programs.

The deal includes a mix of 200 Block IV missiles and 200 upgraded Block V versions, which can
be launched from warships to hit targets 1,000 miles away. The Block IV variant, officially known
as the Tactical Tomahawk, boasts a range of 1,600 km and features improvements over its predecessor,
such as longer striking range and enhanced loitering capabilities.

The Block V variant introduces a navigation/communications package for better navigation and more
reliable communications, with subvariants' designed for targeting moving maritime targets and
thereby incorporating a new multi-effects lethal package.

This acquisition is set against a backdrop of Japan's perceived need to enhance its defense
posture in response to regional security challenges. Japan plans to double its annual defense
spending to approximately 10 trillion yen ($68 billion) by 2027, aiming to become the world's
third-largest military spender after the United States and China.

The Tomahawk missiles are expected to serve as a "bridge" until Japan can deploy domestically
produced missiles, enhancing the Japan Self-Defense Forces' long-range strike capabilities.
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Personal note: After awhile they will reverse engineer the missiles and resell
them back to the US. Or re-engineer them for themselves - ya never know
China and Japan are famous for their reverse engineering and have done
so since the late 40's - 50's and so forth. We've seen this for many years!
-
Boats