Japan to expand ballistic missile defence with ground-based Aegis batteries
The sites without the missiles will likely cost at least $2 billionTOKYO: Japan formally decided on Tuesday it would expand its ballistic missile defence system with US made ground-based Aegis radar stations and interceptors in response to a growing threat from North Korean rockets. A proposal to build two Aegis Ashore batteries was approved by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s Cabinet. “North Korea’s nuclear missile development poses a new level of threat to Japan and as we have done in the past we will ensure that we are able to defend ourselves with a drastic improvement in ballistic missile defence,” Japanese Minister of Defence Itsunori Onodera told reporters after the Cabinet meeting. North Korea on November 29 tested a new, more powerful ballistic missile that it says can hit major US cities including Washington, and fly over Japan’s current defence shield. ‘Human error’ after US chopper window falls on Japan schoolJapan’s military planners also evaluated the US built THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) system before deciding on Aegis Ashore.
Source: The Express Tribune December 19, 2017 07:18 UTC
