First arms sale for Japan with sensors of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries for Patriot missile PAC-2 0707

a

Defence & Security News - Japan

 
 
Monday, July 7, 2014 09:02 AM
 
First arms sale for Japan with sensors of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries for Patriot missile PAC-2.
Japan is likely to approve its first military export deal in decades, Nikkei business daily reported. Japanese-made sensors will be installed on American Patriot PAC-2 surface-to-air missile defense systems, to be further re-exported to Qatar. The sensor is a key component of the infrared seeker set into the tip of the missile to identify and track incoming targets.
     
Tokyo is likely to approve its first military export deal in decades, Nikkei business daily reported. Japanese-made sensors will be installed on American Patriot PAC-2 surface-to-air missile defense systems, to be further re-exported to Qatar. The sensor is a key component of the infrared seeker set into the tip of the missile to identify and track incoming targets.
Patriot air defense missile system of Japan's Self Defense Forces
     
The U.S. is expected to use the part to assemble the Patriot PAC-2 for export to Qatar. The Japanese government studied U.S. management capapabilities regarding defense equipment and concluded that the U.S. transfer of the missile to the Middle Eastern country is unlikely to escalate any conflicts.

In Japan, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries produces the PAC-2 sensor for Japan's Self Defense Forces under license from Raytheon, a U.S. manufacturer of defense equipment. The U.S. company is currently scaling back production of PAC-2 components, as it is focusing on the next-generation PAC-3 missile interceptor system. Raytheon is planning to source the sensors from the Japanese company for use in PAC-2 units to be shipped to Qatar.

Patriot is a long-range, high-altitude, all-weather system that is regularly and rigorously tested with U.S. Army oversight under real-world conditions. The system can counter threats from tactical ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and advanced aircraft, and is continuously upgraded to keep ahead of evolving threats.

Raytheon has developed the Patriot guidance enhanced missile (GEM-T), an upgrade to the PAC-2 missile. The upgrade involves a new fuse and the insertion of a new low noise oscillator, which increases the seeker's sensitivity to low radar cross-section targets.

In November 2012, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency of United Statres notified Congress of a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of Qatar for the sale of 11 Patriot Configuration-3 Modernized Fire Units and associated equipment, parts, training and logistical support for an estimated cost of $9.9 billion.

The Government of Qatar has requested a possible sale of 11Patriot Configuration-3 Modernized Fire Units, 11 AN/MPQ-65 Radar Sets, 11 AN/MSQ-132 Engagement Control Systems, 30 Antenna Mast Groups, 44 M902 Launching Stations, 246 PATRIOT MIM-104E Guidance Enhanced Missile-TBM (GEM-T) with canisters, 2 PATRIOT MIM-104E GEM-T Test Missiles, 768 PATRIOT Advanced Capability 3 (PAC-3) Missiles with canisters, 10 PAC-3 Test Missiles with canisters, 11 Electrical Power Plants (EPPII), 8 Multifunctional Information Distribution Systems/Low Volume Terminals (MIDS/LVTs), communications equipment, tools and test equipment, support equipment, publications and technical documentation, personnel training and training equipment, spare and repair parts, facility design, U.S. Government and contractor technical, engineering, and logistics support services, and other related elements of logistics and program support.