Japan will sell Patriot missiles to the US to help replenish its stocks following Ukraine deliveries.
A handful of Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) missiles will be sold to Washington for 3 billion yen ($19 million), Tokyo announced on Sunday.
The missile sale’s official quantity has not been disclosed. However, it is likely to be around 10, Nikkei revealed, citing a former Pentagon official.
Despite the small order, the announcement sets a precedent with more likely to follow.
Patriot Co-Production
Additionally, ministers of both countries agreed to pursue co-production of the PAC-3 Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE), along with the Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile.
The MSE is faster and more maneuverable than its predecessors at a price tag of $4 million.
Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) produces 30 Patriot missiles a year under license from Lockheed Martin, with a capacity to double the rate of production, according to Reuters.
Supply Bottlenecks
However, the expansion hinges on the additional supply of the missile’s seeker, which is produced in the US and is in short supply.
The seeker guides a missile in its terminal flight stage.
“It could take several years before MHI is able to raise output” because of the shortage, Reuters quoted an unnamed industry source as saying.
Last year, Boeing began expanding seeker production, which is likely to see results from 2027.
By the same year, Lockheed expects to start producing 650 Patriot missiles, up from the current 500.
Additional Production Capacity
In Japan, MHI needs to build additional capacity to raise production beyond 60, even if additional seekers are available, according to Reuters.
It could mean setting up a new PAC-3 factory, requiring investment in the tens of millions of dollars.
“The Indo-Pacific is a large area of focus for the US and our allies and strategically postured capabilities in the region are critical to support deterrence and maintain readiness,” Reuters quoted a Lockheed Martin email.