From Lockheed Martin, the Japanese Ministry of Defense has taken delivery of its first set of four AN/SPY-7(V)1 radar antennas, which will be installed on Tokyo’s first Aegis System Equipped Vessel (ASEV).
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries is building the first Aegis ship in Japan, while Japan Marine United Corporation is constructing the second. The ASEVs are anticipated to start operations in 2028 and 2029, respectively.
They will utilize the SPY-7 radar to simultaneously identify, track, and engage a variety of adversary assets, such as hypersonic threats, ballistic missiles, and anti-air defenses. Additionally, the modular and flexible radar can tell the difference between legitimate and bogus threats.
Following a rigorous acceptance testing, Lockheed sent the radar antennas via Mitsubishi Corporation under a direct commercial sale.
