The advances of China and Russia in the development of hypersonic weapons are forcing the United States to look for ways to counter missiles capable of reaching speeds of more than Mach 5 (6174 km / h). Japan can help the Pentagon in this.

What is known

The United States and Japan have begun exploring the possibility of working together on a missile defense system to intercept hypersonic airborne threats. The Pentagon has already begun the initial stages of the project, the final product of which should be an interceptor capable of neutralizing hypersonic threats in the slip phase.

Vice Admiral John Hill, head of the US Missile Defense Agency (MDA), confirmed last week that the organization is considering working with Japan to work on the Glide Phase Interceptor (GPI). At the moment, the development of the interceptor is one of the agency’s top priorities.

Japan and the US are successfully working on the Standard Missile 3 Block IIA. Specialists from the Land of the Rising Sun are responsible for the construction of the second and third stages of the rocket. It is possible that Japan will play a big role in the new project.

However, the work is complicated by the fact that Northrop Grumman and Raytheon compete for the right to create GPI. Both companies received new contracts last summer to develop hypersonic interceptors. This means that Japan must register to create two different designs, knowing in advance that one of them will go to the bin.

The defeat of hypersonic weapons in the slip phase is a complex technical problem. This is because rockets can move at five times the speed of sound (343 m/s). In addition, they can maneuver in flight, which creates additional difficulties in predicting the missile’s trajectory.

MDA is in the early stages of GPI development. The agency has requested $209 million in fiscal year 2024 to fund the project. The hypersonic weapon interceptor is expected to be ready by the early 2030s. The GPI will be designed to fit into US Navy destroyers with the Aegis missile defense system.

Source: Defense News