Japan will receive even more of Kongsburg’s Joint Strike Missiles.
Here's What You Need to Know: Japan is preparing to push PLA Navy ships farther and farther away.
In a recent press release, the Norwegian defense and technology group Kongsberg announced they secured a contract with the government of Japan for delivery of additional Joint Strike Missiles. The deal, valued at 820 Norwegian Krone, or about $93 million, would be the second batch of Joint Strike Missiles received by Japan.
The original Kongsberg-Japan JSM deal was valued at a bit more than half of the current deal, and this recent contract reflects the reality of Japan’s F-35 fleet, which is growing fast. In a major arms deal announced earlier this summer, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency announced that the U.S. Department of State had cleared the way for Japan to buy more F-35s. Once realized, the Japan Self-Defense Forces will likely become the second largest F-35 operator in the world behind the United States.