Japan advances sea-based missile shield with new Aegis ships featuring 360° SPY-7 radar

Japan is building a pair of next-generation missile-defence destroyers, known as Aegis System Equipped Vessels, that will be fitted with four AN/SPY-7(V)1 radar arrays each, delivering full 360-degree coverage. The radar, a derivative of the US Missile Defense Agency’s Long Range Discrimination Radar, is capable of detecting, tracking and discriminating ballistic-missile threats before the Aegis combat system cues interceptors.

The vessels, currently being assembled in Nagasaki, will also carry 128 vertical launch system cells for missiles like the SM-3 Block IIA and SM-6, with space reserved for future upgrades. The first ship is slated to enter service in fiscal 2027, followed by the second in fiscal 2028, replacing the abandoned land-based Aegis Ashore plan. Tokyo cites repeated North Korean missile tests and China’s expanding military capabilities as the primary drivers for the program, which is highlighted in the FY2026 defence budget and the 2026 defence white paper.