US and Japan cooperate to intercept hypersonic missiles

“Regarding defense equipment and technology cooperation, we agreed to strengthen cooperation and promote discussions on unmanned aerial vehicles as well as the possibility of jointly developing missiles capable of shooting down hypersonic weapons,” Japanese Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada said after talks with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in Tokyo on June 1.

Mr. Hamada stressed that Japan and the United States will “cooperate closely” in the face of North Korea’s continued missile tests, Russia’s military activities in Ukraine and challenges posed by China. He also suggested that both Tokyo and Washington further improve relations with South Korea.

Type-03 medium-range surface-to-air missile of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force. (Photo: Kyodo News)

Secretary Austin confirmed that the US and Japan are “ working together on advanced technologies including hypersonic missiles, fighter jets and advanced air defense systems.”

According to Mr. Austin, Washington and Tokyo have " made impressive progress together" , but stressed that the bilateral cooperation will need to be stronger in the future.

Analysts, including in the West, say the US and its allies are lagging behind Russia and China when it comes to hypersonic weapons, which are believed to be able to bypass existing defenses due to their extreme speed and high maneuverability.

Washington is still in the testing phase of this technology. In March, the US Air Force admitted to a fourth failed test of a hypersonic missile system made by defense contractor Lockheed Martin, the AGM-183A Air-Launched Rapid Response Weapon (ARRW).

Russia has developed a number of hypersonic systems for its military in recent years, including the Avangard hypersonic glider and the air-launched Kinzhal hypersonic missile.

In mid-May, the Russian Defense Ministry said it had used hypersonic missiles to cause significant damage to a US-supplied Patriot air defense system stationed in Kiev.

Kong Anh (Source: RT)

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