Japan, US discuss feasibility of co-producing AIM-120 missiles
US marines secure an AIM-120D Captive Air Training Missile at Misawa Air Base, Japan, on 7 December 2024. (USMC/Cpl Chloe Johnson)
Tokyo and Washington are working to launch a study to assess the feasibility of co-producing AIM-120 advanced medium-range air-to-air missiles (AMRAAM) within Japan.
Discussions on opening a production line for the missiles in Japan have been ongoing since mid-2024, due to an increase in demand for the missiles in both Japan and the United States, Janes has previously reported.
A spokesperson for Japan's Acquisition, Technology & Logistics Agency (ATLA) told Janes on 26 December 2024 that the feasibility study will consider various aspects of production. This includes “necessary cost, preparation time, contents of possible production activity, and challenges” that could arise when production is initiated, according to the spokesperson.
However, ATLA could not specify when the study will start. According to the spokesperson, the Japan Ministry of Defense (MoD) is currently “working closely” with the US Department of Defense (DoD) to initiate the study. “In order to initiate the study, it is necessary to obtain support from DoD as well as industry including the RTX Corporation, a US-based AMRAAM manufacturer,” the ATLA spokesperson said.
The “duration of the study has not yet been determined”, the ATLA spokesperson added.
Co-production of the AIM-120 missile was the subject of discussions at the third Defense Industrial Cooperation, Acquisition, and Sustainment (DICAS) Forum, held on 11 December 2024.
According to the Japan MoD, US DoD's
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