Japan will deploy its long-range Type 25 anti-ship missiles outside their base in Kumamoto Prefecture for the first time during the Keen Sword 27 joint exercises with the United States. The drills will begin on Monday and continue until October 29, The Japan Times reports.
Largest-scale exercises
About 45,000 personnel from Japan’s Self-Defense Forces and 12,000 U.S. military personnel will take part in the exercises. They will be the largest bilateral exercises between Japan and the United States, as well as the first Keen Sword drills since Japan’s Joint Operations Command was established in March last year.
Type 25 launchers have been transported from Camp Kengun in Kumamoto to the Onobaru maneuver area, which covers parts of Nagasaki and Saga prefectures. The missiles have a range of about 1,000 kilometers. No launches will be conducted: the military will practice procedures for striking ships at sea. According to local media, Japanese and U.S. military personnel are expected to exchange targeting data and jointly practice launch procedures.
U.S. system on Yonaguni
For its part, the United States will send the Navy-Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System to Yonaguni Island in Okinawa Prefecture. Yonaguni is located about 110 kilometers from Taiwan. From there, the system can strike a significant part of the sea areas north and east of the island.
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Japan will also temporarily deploy Type 88 anti-ship missiles and Type 03 medium-range air defense systems to Yonaguni. Type 88 systems will additionally be deployed on Ishigaki Island, where Type 03 and Type 12 systems are already stationed.
Partner participation
Gen. Hiroaki Uchikura, chief of the Joint Staff of the Self-Defense Forces, said Keen Sword is intended to strengthen the allies’ ability to respond jointly to “gray-zone” situations and armed attacks. According to him, space, cyber, and electromagnetic operations will be coordinated during the exercises. He stressed that the drills are not directed against any particular country.
Seven more countries will join Keen Sword. France, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, and the Philippines will participate as partner countries for the first time. U.S. and Japanese military personnel will also use Osprey tiltrotor aircraft, which will fly to civilian airports on Miyako and Ishigaki islands.
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