Japan Upgrading To New Missiles That Will Target China's Aircraft Carriers

China's first home-made aircraft carrier Shandong, named after Shandong Province in east China, was launched in December 2019 at the naval port in Sanya, Hainan province. Photo: Handout

SCMP: 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

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.

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WNU Editor: The media focus has been on China's growing missile forces. We tend to forget that the countries facing China are also doing the same thing.