The Nihon Keizai Shimbun (Nikkei) reported on the 5th that the Japanese government is considering establishing a US-promoted integrated air defense and missile defense (IAMD) in a security-related document scheduled for review this month.
The Japanese government plans to review the three defense documents, including the National Security Strategy, in December. The key is to have counter-attack capabilities (attack capabilities against enemy bases), assuming strikes on enemy missile bases.
Currently, it promotes ‘comprehensive missile air defence’ which specializes in missile interception, but the idea is to rebuild the missile defense system with IAMD if it has counterattack capabilities.
IAMD is a system that responds to air attacks by using methods such as land, sea, air, space, and cyber. The newspaper explained that Japan is “establishing IAMD which includes offensive operations in the adversary’s territory in order to prevent an adversary’s missile attack in advance.”
If the IAMD system is established, it is possible to direct the optimal attack interception method through the control system to airborne threats, such as ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and aircraft.
The Nikkei analyzed via IAMD, “If the Self-Defense Forces have the same concept as the US military in terms of a missile defense system, it will be easier to proceed with cooperation between units.”
The Japanese government also considered introducing IAMD when revising the ‘Outline of the Defense Plan’ in 2018. However, this time, it was delayed due to its lack of counter-attack capability.
[서울=뉴시스]
