Edit: Perhaps this post is unnecessary/could be deleted? (Since ACuriousPLAFan has already posted it elsewhere)
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An F-35B Lightning II aircraft, flown by a test pilot from Air Test and Evaluation Squadron Two Three (VX-23), approaches Japan’s Izumo-class multi-functional destroyer JS Kaga (DDH-184) prior to landing on the ship for the first time Oct. 20, 2024, off the southern coast of California. The short takeoff and vertical landing variant of the 5th generation aircraft and an integrated test team are aboard the ship to conduct developmental test to certify modifications to the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force’s largest vessel. Data that testers gather during these sea trials will be analyzed and eventually inform decisions to enhance the capabilities of the Maritime Self-Defense Force as well as contribute to improved interoperability between Japan and the U.S. Japan is an F-35 Joint Program Office foreign military sales customer planning to buy 42 F-35Bs. (Photos by US Navy Commander Darin Russell)
A fire broke out on the MSC-686 Ukushima minesweeper of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force in the waters off Fukuoka Province in Japan. There were reports of casualties among the ship's crew.
Japan seems to have fielded a Mobile-Laser. it seems for anti-drone purpose. The system is all in one with Cooling, laser, crew cabin and power plant in single vehicle.
The laser is a solid state type. Early warning however is in a separate small radar,
Apparently it is only 10KW, which is on the low side for a vehicle of this size. They have to ramp it up at some point.
The U.S. Space Force is enhancing its collaboration with Japan to address capabilities for tracking space objects, particularly sophisticated Chinese satellites that can change orbits dynamically.
Both nations have agreed to include space in their mutual defense commitments, meaning attacks on space assets could trigger a collective defense response.
A key initiative is the Quasi-Zenith Satellite System Hosted Payload (QZSS-HP) program, which integrates U.S. optical sensors into Japan's satellite infrastructure. Two U.S. sensors are set to launch aboard QZSS satellites in 2025 and 2026, despite delays in Japan's H3 rocket program.
Mastalir noted the challenges posed by China's advanced satellite capabilities, particularly those operating in non-Keplerian orbits, which complicate traditional tracking methods. Japan is investing in both space-based and ground-based sensors to enhance their monitoring capabilities.
Japan has tested a revised variant of the Type 12 anti-ship missile, this time with a low-observable missile body.
The stated range is 900 km, a significant increase from the baseline version's 200 km range, with possible future extensions to 1200 km. The new version has datalink updates as well, allowing it to receive targeting information from satellites while in flight.
The Chinese side seems to be proceeding with their own iterations of the AKF98 missile.
The stated range is 900 km, a significant increase from the baseline version's 200 km range, with possible future extensions to 1200 km. The new version has datalink updates as well, allowing it to receive targeting information from satellites while in flight.
- Courtesy of Naval News
The Chinese side seems to be proceeding with their own iterations of the AKF98 missile.