Japan has placed its fourth follow-on order for the stealthy and lethal Joint Strike Missile (JSM) to boost its firepower amid mounting security threats in the Indo-Pacific region.

“Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace (‘KONGSBERG’) has entered a fourth follow-on contract with Japan to supply the Joint Strike Missile (JSM) for the country’s fleet of F-35A fighter aircraft. The contract is valued at NOK 1.9 billion,” a press statement released by the manufacturer stated.

The JSM is a fifth-generation stealth air-to-surface land attack cruise missile. The F-35A can carry the JSM internally, ensuring the aircraft’s low signature, agility, and range. Japan acquired and fielded the JSM as the first land-attack-capable cruise missile.

Since placing its initial order for the JSM in 2018, Japan has entered into multiple agreements with KONGSBERG. “The fifth order for the Joint Strike Missile underlines the important role of the JSM in Japan’s national defense strategy and is another example of the close and growing relationship between Norway, Japan, and KONGSBERG,” said Eirik Lie, President of Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace.

The latest acquisition is in line with Japan’s ongoing efforts to increase its firepower in response to growing threats from China, North Korea, and Russia.

More importantly, Japan’s efforts at expanding its strike capability come amid concern that a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan might escalate into a region-wide conflict involving the United States Tokyo. Japan’s military modernization has been, in part, influenced by the looming threat.

The stealth-on-stealth combination of F-35A and JSM would allow Japan to penetrate China’s sophisticated Anti Access/Area Denial (A2/AD) system along its coastline. Japan can hit targets across a range of around 1,000 miles or about 1,600 kilometers without refueling when using the formidable combination and 750 miles or over 1,200 kilometers when the JSM is flying its most stealthy low-level infiltration profile. This means Japan could hit targets as far as Beijing by deploying JSM on F-35A, at least in theory.

Moreover, this missile could give Japan a first-strike advantage over its adversaries in the contested Indo-Pacific without being detected by enemy air defenses.

Japan’s latest purchase of JSM is in line with its purchase of lethal, long-range weapons. For instance, the US has approved the purchase of the Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile Extended Range (JASSM-ER) and related equipment. Additionally, it is acquiring 400 Tomahawk sea-launched cruise missiles from Washington.

These purchases indicate that Japan is preparing for modern warfare. Earlier, Japan had paid the most attention to upgrading and modernizing its land Self-Defense Forces, assuming that a USSR land invasion of Hokkaido was its biggest threat. However, the emphasis has now obviously switched to air and sea defense systems with second-strike capability, with China emerging as its primary adversary.

Gurjit Singh, a former Ambassador to Germany, Indonesia, Ethiopia, and ASEAN, said, “Japan must augment its capabilities so that other rivals do not underestimate it. A higher Japanese defense profile would allow it to play a bigger role in its alliance with the United States, thus increasing the US’s trust in Japan.”

The Lethal Joint Strike Missile

Raytheon and Kongsberg, a Norwegian defense manufacturer, collaborated to produce the Joint Strike Missile (JSM), a fifth-generation, long-range, precision-guided, stand-off missile.

Kongsberg developed the JSM missile system based on the proven Naval Strike Missile (NSM). It is designed to be carried inside the weapons bay of the stealthy F-35, but it could be carried externally on other fighters.

This is in contrast to some other major stealthy long-range cruise missiles, including the Lockheed Martin-made AGM-158 JASSM (Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile) and its Long Range Anti Ship Missile (LRASM), which have to be carried externally due to their mammoth size.

The JSM is a subsonic missile that is 4 meters long and weighs 416 kilograms. It employs advanced composite materials and stealth technology to provide a low radar signature and a range of over 275 kilometers.

The JSM incorporates sophisticated mission planning to capitalize on both land and sea geography. It uses a low-altitude flight profile and a very precise navigation system. Additionally, an advanced imaging infrared seeker enables automatic target recognition.

The missile system’s main objective is to integrate with fixed-wing aircraft platforms to engage both land and marine targets. Anti-surface warfare (ASuW) and naval fire support (NFS) missions can be carried out in littoral zones, open oceans, and on land. The precise navigation system of the high-mobility JSM system makes flying close to terrain easier.

The missile system provides the greatest versatility in terms of target engagement planning and features air intakes, wings, and tail fins.

Targets are precisely engaged using local geography data and a sophisticated engagement planning system. To differentiate between land and non-targets, an image target seeker is built into the front portion of the JSM. In the center section, a 125 kg HE fragmentation warhead and a fuel tank are located. 

Additionally, it offers maritime control and sea denial throughout a large operational region. The missile system can also conduct long-range strike missions and naval fire support.

The Joint Strike Missile system has a data link that may be used with both traditional military hardware and the Link 16 network. Following launch, the missile can exchange tactical data with aircraft via a two-way networking data link. Moreover, it ensures that the operator can report bomb hits, retarget, update targets, and abort missions while in flight.

The operators of JSM currently include Norway, Japan, Australia, and the US Air Force. Earlier, Australia signed a contract with Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace to acquire Joint Strike Missiles (JSMs) for the Royal Australian Air Force’s (RAAF) Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II in September 2024.

Moreover, the US Indo-Pacific command indicated earlier this year that it wanted to triple its purchase of fifth-generation missiles for the F-35s. According to analysts, the move is aimed at boosting combat capability in the region where tensions continue to escalate.

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