Missiles from anywhere? Japan’s new warship is built to spot them all

Japan is building a new generation of missile-defence warships equipped with powerful radar systems as it seeks to counter growing missile threats from North Korea and the wider region.The two Aegis System Equipped Vessels (ASEVs) will use the AN/SPY-7 radar as their primary sensor, forming a key component of Tokyo’s integrated air and missile-defence network.According to The War Zone (TWZ), the first of the two warships is taking shape with its large SPY-7 radar arrays integrated into the mast. The radar, derived from the US Missile Defense Agency’s Long Range Discrimination Radar programme, is designed to detect, track and discriminate ballistic-missile threats.The programme comes as Japan faces an increasingly challenging security environment, particularly from North Korea’s repeated missile launches and advancing capabilities. Tokyo is also closely watching China’s expanding military and missile capabilities.Radar at the heart of Japan’s defence pushThe AN/SPY-7(V)1 radar is central to Japan’s new missile-defence vessels.