Japanese long-range missiles to participate in Japan-U.S. "Sword" exercise
According to a report by Reference News Network on October 8, Kyodo News reported on October 5 that the Japan Ministry of Defense's Joint Staff Office announced on the 5th that the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force's long-range missile, the Type 25 Anti-Ship Missile, will participate in training aimed at responding to "enemy" vessels during the upcoming "Sword" military exercise, which will be jointly held by Japan and the United States later this month. The missile will be mobilized from the Ground Self-Defense Force's Kengun base in Kumamoto City to the Nohara training ground located in Nagasaki and Saga Prefectures, and there will be no live-fire exercises conducted at that time.
According to the Ministry of Defense, the "Sword" exercise will take place from the 19th to the 29th and will conduct training across a wide range of domains, including land, sea, air, as well as cyber and space.
Combat training targeting vessels will be conducted in the waters south of the four islands and in the southwestern waters of Kyushu, with participating units conducting coordinated operations to practice a series of combat processes from target detection to tracking and execution of attacks. The Type 25 Anti-Ship Missile will be involved in some of the training. The Type 25 Anti-Ship Missile is responsible for exercising what the Japanese government refers to as "counterattack capability" under the guise of "capability to attack enemy bases." This will be the first time this type of missile is mobilized in a large-scale exercise. (Translated by Ma Xiaoyun)
Japan's Ground Self-Defense Force will deploy the Type 25 anti-ship missile for joint military exercises with the U.S. from October 19 to 29, 2023. The training will simulate responses to enemy vessels and will take place in Kumamoto, Nagasaki, and Saga. This marks the first large-scale deployment of the missile in such exercises, although no live-fire will occur.
- Japan's Ground Self-Defense Force will participate in joint military exercises with the U.S.
- The Type 25 anti-ship missile will be deployed for training.
- The exercises are scheduled from October 19 to 29, 2023.
- No live-fire exercises will occur during the training.
- This is the first large-scale deployment of the Type 25 missile in an exercise.