JAPAN: ARMING WITH AEGIS?

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP93T00643R000200800001-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 9
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: March 6, 2012
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: March 23, 1987
• Content Type: MEMO

Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/03/06 :CIA-RDP93T00643R000200800001-8 ?5X1
Central Intelligence Agency
:~dt 4_ _d.
23 March 1987
Japan: Arming With Aegis?
Summary
Japan's Maritime Self Defense Force (MSDF) is setting top priority
on securing funding in Japan fiscal year 1988--which begins 1 April of
next year--for at least one Aegis-type surtace-to-air guided missile
destroyer, to be delivered by the early 1990s. With formal budget planning
starting this spring, the MSDF appears to be well placed to achieve that
goal. The MSDF has backing from key components in the Japan Defense
Agency (JDA), as well as the shipbuilding and defense industries. The
loudest opponents, the opposition parties, have little clout. Nonetheless,
Aegis--even in a reduced-size version also under consideration--will be
expensive, and tough bargaining ahead with the powerful Finance Ministry
leaves procurement open to question. Tokyo views Aegis procurement as
an essential step toward improving Japan's naval air defense and its ability
to defend Japan's sea lanes, but the initial force would be small--only four
ships are planned by the year 2000--and protection for the sea lanes and
the fleet would be limited.
This memorandum was prepared by Office of East Asian Analysis.
Information available as of 23 March 1987 was used in its preparation. Comments and
queries are welcome and may be directed to the Chief, Japan Branch, Northeast Asia
Division, OEA
2.5X1
Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/03/06 :CIA-RDP93T00643R000200800001-8 ,
 Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/03/06 :CIA-RDP93T00643R000200800001-8
MSDF Touts Aegis' Strategic Role
The Maritime Staff Office (MSO) of the MSDF has identified the Aegis guided
missile destroyer (see inset) as a key procurement target for the late 1980s and 1990s.
A review of defense policy as well as exchanges with Washington over the last few
years have convinced the Japanese that they must improve naval and air defense
capabilities. The JDA is currently developin4 a strateQV to meet that objective.
The Aegis Shipborne Surtace-to-Air Weapon System
Aegis is a US-designed, ship-mounted, surtace-to-air weapon system
primarily designed to defend against antiship cruise missiles and airborne
missile launch platforms. It is capable of destroying small, fast targets in
hostile environments such as severe weather or electronic jamming conditions.
As an area defense system, Aegis is capable of defending a naval task force
with its sophisticated radar, fire and weapon control systems, and command and
control. The heart or Aegis is the multifunction, phased-array radar, a high
performance electronic scanning device capable of surveillance and
simultaneous detection and tracking of multiple targets. The rimar wea on
used i h - version of the US Standard missil
which is guided to the target area by means of inertial
navigation, command corrections, and terminal homing. The US Navy currently
carries Aegis on Ticonderoga-class cruisers and will field a similar, but
somewhat less capable, version of Aegis on Arleigh Burke-class destroyers.
225X1
25X1
25X1
25X1
~~x~l
Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/03/06 :CIA-RDP93T00643R000200800001-8
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/03/06 :CIA-RDP93T00643R000200800001-8
Q
Next 1 Page(s) In Document Denied
25X1
25X1
25X1
25X1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/03/06 :CIA-RDP93T00643R000200800001-8
 Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/03/06 :CIA-RDP93T00643R000200800001-8
Value of Aegis to Sea Lane Defense
If the budget debate goes in the MSDF's favor, Japan will be able to begin
improving its ability to defend the southern sea lines of communication. The estimated
size of the Aegis fleet is only four destroyers by 2000, however, which will limit the
total protecting range of the ships. Under the MSDF deployment plan, each of the four
Aegis destroyers now planned would be assigned to an escort flotilla. Because four of
the five flotillas are based in the southern half of the country (Sasebo, Kure, Maizuru,
Yokosuka) we expect most, if not all, Aegis ships would be stationed to the southeast or
southwest of the home islands (see map). This would allow the MSDF to deploy the
Aegis ships on short notice to bolster air defense over the southern sea lines of
communication and to help defend US ships bringing reinforcements and materiel to
Japan in times of rising tensions or conflict.
25X1
25X1
25X1
Z~X1
25X1
25X1
25X1
25X1
Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/03/06 :CIA-RDP93T00643R000200800001-8
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/03/06 :CIA-RDP93T00643R000200800001-8
25X1
25X1
25X1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/03/06 :CIA-RDP93T00643R000200800001-8
 Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/03/06 :CIA-RDP93T00643R000200800001-8
Japan? Sapp?~-t f?r Aegis
JDA
~ivili?n Le?ders
i3efense P?licy lure?u
Technic?! REc? Institute
Fquip~ent ?ure?u
MSi)F
?
?
Ministries
Industry
M?F
~
Shipbuilding L?bby
MITE
ICeid?nren
MFA
~
Mitsubishi He?vy Inch
Ishik?av?jim? He?vy Inch
K?w?saki He?vy Indo
Mitsubishi Electric ~o
?ther Services
?
Strong
Support
Mixed
Support
Moderate ? Strong
Support ?pposition
Moderate
?pposition
o Uncommitted
P?litical Parties
O
?
~P
?pp?sitiAn
G
?
Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/03/06 :CIA-RDP93T00643R000200800001-8
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/03/06 :CIA-RDP93T00643R000200800001-8
25X1
25X1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/03/06 :CIA-RDP93T00643R000200800001-8
 Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/03/06 :CIA-RDP93T00643R000200800001-8
SUBJECT: Japan: Arming With Aegis?
Distribution:
1 -Donald Gregg, Office of the Vice President
1 -Louis Sarris, Deputy Director, Office of Analysis
for East Asian and Pacific Affairs
1 -William Clark, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau
of East Asian and Pacific Affairs
1 -Thomas Hubbard, Department of State
1 -Chuck Kartman, Department of State
1 -William Brooks, INR/EAP/Japan
1 -Norm Levin, Policy Planning Staff
1 -James Kelly, Special Assistant to the President, NSC
1 - Dr. Karl Jackson, Deputy Assistant Secretary
of Defense for East Asia and Pacific Affairs
1 -Rear Admiral Edward Baker, Jr., Director, OASD/ISA/EAPR
1 -Cdr. (Ret.) James Auer, DOD/ISA/EAP
1 -LTC. Jerry Williams, JSI-3C
1 -Ron Mitchell, DB-4E
1 -Col. Ned Murata, DOD/OJCS/J-5/Northeast Asia
1 -Col. Richard Buckner, Director for Foreign Intelligence
1 -Maureen Smith, Department of Commerce
Central Intelligence Agency
1 -Director, DCI/DDCI Executive Staff
1 - NIO/EA
1 - NIO/Economics
1 - C/EAP
1 - OGI/ttC/PI
1 - OEA/NEA/Korea Branch
1 - OEA/NEA/STI Branch
1 - OEA/NEA Division
1 - OEA/China Division
1 - OEA/SEA Division
1 - D/OEA
1 - C/Production/OEA
1 - FBIS/NEAD
1 - DDI
1 -Senior Review Panel
1 - PDB Staff
1 - C/PES
1 -CPAS/ILS
5 -CPAS/IMC/CB
1 -Branch
1 - LDA
1 - NIC/AG
25X1
25X1
Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/03/06 :CIA-RDP93T00643R000200800001-8
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/03/06 :CIA-RDP93T00643R000200800001-8
25X1
25X1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/03/06 :CIA-RDP93T00643R000200800001-8