Media: Japan plans to give up on re-equipping F-15s with new US missiles

The costs required turned out to be much higher than the Japanese side had initially anticipated, Kyodo news agency noted

The Japanese government intends to abandon its plans to re-equip F-15 fighters used by the Japan Self-Defense Forces with new American cruise and anti-ship missiles JASSM and LRASM. Kyodo news agency reported this on Sunday.

According to its information, the decision is being considered due to the fact that the cost required to re-equip the fighters turned out to be much higher than initially assumed by the Japanese side. At the same time, the agency notes, a final decision on this issue has not yet been made.

In April, for the same reasons, Japanese Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi ordered a complete revision of the F-15 modernization plan.

Japanese authorities had planned to allocate 21.3 billion yen ($204 million) for this purpose, but during negotiations with the American side, the cost has increased by almost five times. Initially it was planned to start allocation of funds for this purpose in 2021, then the government postponed re-equipment of 20 F-15 fighters until 2027. The Japanese authorities planned to modify the F-15 fighters in service with the National Self-Defence Forces with new US missiles JASSM and LRASM with a range of about 900 kilometres. According to the Japanese side, this should help improve the defensive capabilities of the Self-Defense Forces in defending remote islands.

Media: Japan plans to give up on re-equipping F-15s with new US missiles