The first shipset of four SPY-7(V)1 radar antennas, which will be installed on Japan’s future Aegis System Equipped Vessel (ASEV), was given to Japan’s Ministry of Defense, according to an announcement made today by Lockheed Martin. Japan has two ships dedicated to ballistic missile defense that are scheduled to enter service during the fiscal years 2027 and 2028.
Lockheed has agreements with the Canadian and Spanish militaries to deploy the SPY-7 radar on specific surface ships, in addition to its relationship with Japan. That radar will be installed on Canada’s future River-class destroyers, which will take the place of the Halifax-class frigates and Iroquois-class destroyers. At the same time, the Spanish army is purchasing SPY-7 for its F-110-class frigates. In response to an increasingly aggressive China, the Japanese government has recently shifted toward greater defense spending, approving an unprecedented $8.7 trillion yen ($55.1 billion) budget in December.
