Japan to upgrade new missile to target aircraft carriers, as it steps up East China Sea island defences

Defence officials are looking at improving the anti-shipping capabilities of the new hyper velocity gliding projectile (HVGP)

This comes as Chinese ships continue to enter Japanese waters around the disputed islands known as the Diaoyu in China and Senkaku in Japan

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The disputed East China Sea islands which are called the Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China. They are claimed by China, Japan and Taiwan. Photo: Kyodo

Published: 8:32pm, 26 Feb 2020Updated: 10:15pm, 26 Feb 2020

The Japanese military is planning to upgrade a next-generation missile to give it the ability to target an aircraft carrier, an enhancement that would be a clear shot across China’s bow in the ongoing dispute over islands in the East China Sea.

Citing sources in the Japanese Ministry of Defence, the Mainichi newspaper said discussions are under way to improve the anti-shipping capabilities of the hyper velocity gliding projectile (HVGP), which is currently being developed and is due to be put into operational service as early as 2026.

First announced in late 2018, the weapon is designed to be launched from a rocket in the upper atmosphere and glide towards its target at a very high speed. It is manoeuvred via GPS, making it more difficult to intercept than a conventional missile.

A Japan Coast Guard vessel sails in front of one of the disputed islands, named Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China. Photo: Reuters

The weapon could be used against an island that has been invaded and occupied by an enemy force, the ministry said, although it was careful not to identify any potential hostile force.

The ministry is now planning to fit HVGPs with an alternative payload specifically devised to punch through the deck of an aircraft carrier. The upgraded version would also have a better range and maximum speed, as well as more advanced trajectory capabilities.

China launched the Shandong, its first domestically developed aircraft carrier, last year. Another carrier, the Liaoning, was bought from Russia and became operational in 2012. Beijing reportedly intends to build at least two more aircraft carriers as it looks to further develop its navy’s blue water capabilities.

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