Japan signed contract to supply US with missiles for Patriot PAC-3 missile defense systems

By Alimat Aliyeva

The Japanese Ministry of Defense has signed the first contract to supply the United States with missiles for the American-developed Patriot PAC-3 missile defense systems. This is intended to replenish the reserves of the US army, which are seriously declining due to the transfer of such weapons to Ukraine, Azernews reports.

According to the Japanese military, the contract amount is about 3 billion yen (about $ 20 million at the current exchange rate). The number of missiles transferred to the United States is not specified.

Patriot PAC-3 missile defense systems and missiles are manufactured in Japan by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Heavy Engineering Corporation under an American license. Back in December 2023, the Japanese government allowed their sale to the United States on the condition that these weapons would not be directly transferred to Ukraine without Tokyo's sanction.

A joint document on the results of the meeting of the heads of foreign policy and military departments of the United States and Japan held in Tokyo on July 28 according to the formula "2+2" stated that the two countries would study the issue of joint production of military equipment.

Specifically, AMRAAM air-to-air missiles with a flight range from 105 to 180 km, depending on the modification, as well as missiles for Patriot PAC-3 missile defense systems were named.