Prototype railgun mounted aboard the JS Asuka. (©X post/HNlEHupY4Nr6hRM)
Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force has unveiled an electromagnetic railgun atop the JS Asuka, a 6,200-ton experimental vessel.
Military news site The War Zone reported the development on July 1.
According to the report, the railgun installed on the Asuka closely resembles a prototype tested by Japan's Ministry of Defense, both on land and at sea, under the supervision of its Acquisition, Technology & Logistics Agency (ATLA).
The high-speed, cost-effective weapon is now undergoing operational trials, with a live-fire test at sea slated for late July.
What is a Railgun
A railgun uses electromagnetic force instead of gunpowder to launch metal projectiles at hypersonic speeds, often surpassing Mach 6. It does so by discharging several megajoules (MJ) of electrical energy in an instant, propelling the projectile along a pair of metal rails.
Because the process generates intense heat and requires a dedicated cooling system too large for conventional destroyers, the JS Asuka was chosen. As an experimental vessel with a spacious, modular deck, it can meet the significant space and power requirements of the hardware.
Despite its complexity, the railgun offers various advantages. Beyond targeting ships and ground-based threats, it holds potential for intercepting cruise missiles, drones, and even hypersonic projectiles. The kinetic rounds, or metal slugs, are inexpensive relative to other interceptor missiles and are easier to store.
Ahead of Others
Japan's program stands in sharp contrast to that of the United States, which invested roughly $500 million USD from 2005 to late 2021 to develop two railgun prototypes. Though early signs of promise, the US ultimately shelved the program due to technical and logistical challenges.
Alongside Japan, countries including South Korea, China, Turkey, France, and Germany are actively pursuing railgun technology. South Korea launched its development efforts in 2010, spearheaded by its Agency for Defense Development.
Japan's Industrial Push
Japan's railgun model drew particular attention at the DSEI defense expo in June, where Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba visited the event to stress the government's commitment to advancing domestic defense innovation.
Previously limited by postwar constitutional constraints and arms export bans, Japan is now gradually shedding its pacifist limitations. In 2023, for instance, Tokyo enacted the Act on Enhancing Defense Production and Technology Bases to facilitate government funding, R&D support, and international partnerships in the defense sector.
Mitsubishi Electric's air surveillance radar export to the Philippines in 2023 and 2024 marked one of Japan's first major arms transfers since WWII. Two of the four agreed units have been delivered, and Manila is considering an additional order of five, according to The Sankei Shimbun.
Multiple reports also indicate that the Philippine Navy is exploring the purchase of six second-hand Abukuma-class destroyer escorts from Japan.
Meanwhile, Tokyo is co-developing a sixth-generation stealth fighter with the United Kingdom and Italy under the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP). They aim to field the aircraft by the mid-2030s.
Eyes on the Horizon
If Japan's railgun sea trials prove successful, the country would become the first in the world to deploy an operational naval railgun system.
Such a milestone would not only showcase the country's advancing technological capabilities but also signal its evolving strategic posture in response to intensifying military threats from neighboring countries.
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Author: Kenji Yoshida
