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is a Japanese hypersonic glide vehicle being intended to be used as a
hypersonic weapon A hypersonic weapon is a weapon capable of maneuvering at hypersonic speed, defined as above Mach 5, or above 5 times the speed of sound. Below Mach 1, weapons would be characterized as subsonic, and above Mach 1, as supersonic. At extre ...
. This is effectively Japan’s first de-facto
ballistic missile A ballistic missile is a type of missile that uses projectile motion to deliver warheads on a target. These weapons are powered only during relatively brief periods—most of the flight is unpowered. Short-range ballistic missiles (SRBM) typic ...
. While it is officially labeled as a missile for island defense, it is also considered to have potential enemy base attack capabilities.


Design and capabilities

The HVGP is designed as a standoff missile capable of attacking enemy forces and bases from outside the enemy weapon engagement zone. The development of the HVGP is based on an incremental approach, with Block 1 being developed as an early version based on existing technology, followed by the development of a performance-enhancing Block 2. Both of them are designed for launch using a solid rocket booster, with the projectile separating from it at a high altitude and then gliding at
hypersonic speed In aerodynamics, a hypersonic speed is one that exceeds five times the speed of sound, often stated as starting at speeds of Mach 5 and above. The precise Mach number at which a craft can be said to be flying at hypersonic speed varies, since i ...
s until impact. In Block 2, glide performance will be further improved by introducing waverider technology. Projectile guidance would be primarily provided by
satellite navigation A satellite navigation or satnav system is a system that uses satellites to provide autonomous geopositioning. A satellite navigation system with global coverage is termed global navigation satellite system (GNSS). , four global systems are ope ...
, with
inertial navigation system An inertial navigation system (INS; also inertial guidance system, inertial instrument) is a navigation device that uses motion sensors (accelerometers), rotation sensors (gyroscopes) and a computer to continuously calculate by dead reckoning th ...
as a backup. Radio-frequency imaging and
infrared homing Infrared homing is a Missile guidance#Passive homing, passive weapon guidance system which uses the infrared (IR) light emission from a target to track and follow it seamlessly. Missiles which use infrared seeking are often referred to as "he ...
would also be used for guidance when engaging moving targets. Special armour-piercing ammunitions, capable of penetrating the deck of
aircraft carrier An aircraft carrier is a warship that serves as a seagoing airbase, equipped with a full-length flight deck and hangar facilities for supporting, arming, deploying and recovering carrier-based aircraft, shipborne aircraft. Typically it is the ...
s, are used to attack ships, and high-density explosively formed projectiles (EFPs), capable of area suppression, are used to attack ground targets. Block 1 is expected to be a
short-range ballistic missile A short-range ballistic missile (SRBM) is a ballistic missile with a range of to . In past and potential regional conflicts, these missiles have been and would be used because of the short distances between some countries and their relative low c ...
with an estimated range of . Block 2, on the other hand, is planned to be a
medium-range ballistic missile A medium-range ballistic missile (MRBM) is a type of ballistic missile with medium range (aeronautics), range, this last classification depending on the standards of certain organizations. Within the United States Department of Defense, U.S. D ...
with a range of .


Deployment

The plan is to complete the development of Block 1 by FY2025 and begin deployment in FY2026, and to begin deployment of Block 2 in the 2030s, deploying two battalions in the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force. These batteries are being considered for deployment in
Hokkaido is the list of islands of Japan by area, second-largest island of Japan and comprises the largest and northernmost prefectures of Japan, prefecture, making up its own list of regions of Japan, region. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaidō fr ...
and
Kyushu is the third-largest island of Japan's Japanese archipelago, four main islands and the most southerly of the four largest islands (i.e. excluding Okinawa Island, Okinawa and the other Ryukyu Islands, Ryukyu (''Nansei'') Ryukyu Islands, Islands ...
. The development of a submarine-launched version is under consideration, reportedly.


See also

* Japan and weapons of mass destruction


References


Citations


General and cited references

* * * * {{Japanese missiles Guided missiles of Japan Ballistic missiles Hypersonic weapons