A pair of U.S. and Japanese defense contractors announced a new teaming agreement to "collaborate" on integrated and missile defense capabilities for Japan's ground-based systems, in a move that could be a first step toward exporting to a Pacific ally the U.S. Army's new "game changing" Integrated Battle Command System.
On Jan. 16, Northrop Grumman announced it was teaming with Mitsubishi Electric Corporation for the effort, led by Masahiko Arai, group senior vice president of defense & space systems at Mitsubishi Electric Corp., and Northrop Grumman’s Ian Reynolds, vice president of the C4 missile defense business unit in Huntsville, AL.
“The Japan Ministry of Defense is accelerating integrated air and missile defense by prioritizing investments in operationally resilient systems and exploring the advantages of networking systems to facilitate fire control,” Rebecca Torzone, Northrop Grumman vice president and general manager for combat systems and mission readiness, said in a statement. “Today’s agreement with Mitsubishi Electric signifies a renewed collaborative relationship combining Northrop Grumman’s proven integrated air and missile defense capabilities with Japanese defense expertise to accelerate innovation.”
In December 2022, Japan’s defense ministry identified integrated air and missile defense as one of seven capability areas targeted for investment and improvement to “fundamentally” upgrade Japan’s military, which Tokyo refers to as “self-defense” forces.
As part of improving the Japan Ground Self Defense Forces’ integrated air and missile defense capabilities, Japan’s December 2022 defense buildup program called for a project where “various guided missile systems will be networked together.”
IBCS is designed to integrate ground sensors and weapons across a modular open systems architecture to provide a single, integrated air picture -- allowing soldiers to both see more threats and destroy them faster and more effectively.
The baseline IBCS system being deployed by the Army integrates Patriot and Sentinel radars, with plans to fold in many additional sensors including the Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense Sensor.
The teaming agreement calls for Northrop and Mitsubishi “to combine their respective technologies to develop a networking solution integrating Japan’s air and missile defense capabilities to share target information across various defense systems.”
According to Northrop, “the partnership seeks to contribute to Japanese defense capability in integrated air and missile defense by providing better situational awareness, increased interoperability and effective resource management.”
The announcement comes a year after Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Japan’s Defense Minister Hamada Yasukazu signed a bilateral agreement to increase opportunities for expanded and deepened cooperation on advanced technologies and defense supply chains.