Lockheed Martin completes first Aegis shipset for Japan's missile defense vessels

Lockheed Martin has completed the validation of the first fully integrated shipset for Japan’s Aegis System Equipped Vessel (ASEV) program. The equipment, which includes four AN/SPY-7(V)1 radar arrays, the Aegis Combat System, and supporting hardware such as radar processing, power, and cooling systems, is scheduled for shipment from New Jersey to Japan later this year.

The ASEV program aims to enhance Japan’s integrated air and missile defense (IAMD) capabilities, providing 360-degree coverage to detect and track multiple ballistic missile and airborne threats simultaneously. Once installed, the first vessel will undergo shipboard integration and final acceptance testing, moving toward a projected 2027 commissioning.

The new vessels will utilize a common combat-system architecture shared with Japan’s existing Kongo, Atago, and Maya-class Aegis destroyers. This standardization is intended to ensure interoperability with allied naval forces, including the U.S. Navy’s Aegis fleet. To support long-term sustainment, key components of the SPY-7 radar will also be produced within Japan.