Text Fwd: Japan: Okinawa Decision Has Interceptor Missile Element Aimed At China

* Text informed by Rick Rozoff

Aviation Week
May 25, 2010
Okinawa Decision Has Missile Defense Element
By David A. Fulghum


-The initial Okinawa-based F-15 unit worked out tactics for cruise missile defense while stationed in Alaska. Two years ago the unit made the shift to Japan’s southernmost airbase, which has responsibility for an area of operations that extends to within about 20 miles of China.
The newest twist is that the U.S. Air National Guard and Raytheon are talking about demonstration of an air-launched, hit-to-kill missile called the network-centric airborne defense element (NCADE) for a ballistic missile defense mission. It uses an Aim-120 Amraam missile body and extends the range far enough to support an anti-ballistic missile mission.


By backpedaling on a campaign promise to move a U.S. Marine Corps airbase from Okinawa, Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama may have nonetheless secured additional airborne cruise missile and tactical ballistic missile defenses for Japan.

China is seen as the cruise missile threat since it has developed a new, faster, long-range weapon that can be launched from its Su-27MKK strike fighter fleet....

Okinawa is already home to the first wing of U.S. Air Force Boeing F-15Cs carrying an older model of active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar. The Raytheon-designed radar essentially increases the aircraft’s radar range from about 50 miles to around 150 miles (horizontal or vertical) and it allows the fighters to detect small and stealthy targets in time to intercept cruise missiles with specially designed AIM-120C-6 and AIM-120D Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (Amraam) weapons.

U.S. defense officials tell AVIATION WEEK that more AESA-equipped fighters will be stationed in Okinawa to further beef up the anti-missile forces already there. The initial Okinawa-based F-15 unit worked out tactics for cruise missile defense while stationed in Alaska. Two years ago the unit made the shift to Japan’s southernmost airbase, which has responsibility for an area of operations that extends to within about 20 miles of China.

The newest twist is that the U.S. Air National Guard and Raytheon are talking about demonstration of an air-launched, hit-to-kill missile called the network-centric airborne defense element (NCADE) for a ballistic missile defense mission. It uses an Aim-120 Amraam missile body and extends the range far enough to support an anti-ballistic missile mission.

The Guard revealed in late April that it had started upgrades of its Golden Eagle F-15C fleet starting with the Florida ANG’s 125th Fighter Wing, followed by units in Massachusetts and Montana.

“We’re embracing an air-launched concept for theater ballistic missile defense as a deterrent and as a tactical capability to protect our forces in-theater and for homeland defense,” says Maj. Todd Giggy, the 125th’s chief of weapons and tactics.

USAF F-22s also carry AESA radars, as will both the Air Force’s active fleet of 220 F-15Es, with the APG-82(V)4 radar, and Air National Guard F-15s, with the APG-63(V)3 radar.

Leading officials have not mentioned specifics in public, but in explaining his reversal on keeping U.S. forces on Okinawa the Japanese prime minister said he now had a better appreciation of their role as a deterrent in the region.

Still, there was a public outcry from some Okinawa residents after the announcement that Japan would stick with the 2006 agreement it had reached with the U.S. over basing. That deal called for Marine Corps Air Station Futenma to be moved to the less-populated north side of Okinawa rather than off the island.

In a visit there, Prime Minister Hatoyama offered his apology “for causing much confusion” by first supporting opposition to the Okinawa rebasing and then accepting it after public furor was expressed. It was his second visit this month.
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