Satellite images of European, Israeli, Indian, Korean, Taiwanese and Japanese air defense systems
If during the Cold War the creation of anti-aircraft missile systems missile While the development of medium- and long-range systems was conducted by a relatively limited group of countries, such as the USSR, the USA, Great Britain, Italy, and China, in the 21st century, air defense systems of this class have been developed independently or in cooperation by a number of European countries, as well as Israel, India, Iran, North Korea, the Republic of China, Turkey, the Republic of Korea, and Japan. Moreover, anti-aircraft systems developed in countries that have not previously developed them often have acceptable characteristics and can be competitive in terms of price-quality on the global arms market.
As early as the 1950s, SAM designers realized that to reduce operating costs and ensure greater fire and explosion safety on medium- and long-range SAMs, it was necessary to transition from liquid-propellant rocket engines operating on a bicomponent propellant consisting of fuel and oxidizer stored in separate tanks to solid-propellant motors. This transition also allowed missiles to be placed in sealed transport and launch containers, where they are stored without maintenance for the entire warranty period. This greatly simplifies SAM transportation, loading them onto launchers, and, by increasing the number of transport and launch containers per launcher, increased firing performance. A characteristic feature of most second- and subsequent-generation SAM systems was multi-channel capability—the ability to simultaneously fire multiple missiles at different airborne targets.
Many new generation anti-aircraft missile systems were mounted on self-propelled chassis, which significantly improved mobility and reduced deployment and dismantling time, thus increasing survivability under enemy dominance. aviation enemy air defense systems. The ability to quickly relocate, as well as the reduction in the number of distinctive external features, made it difficult to detect and identify air defense systems, especially those not deployed in fixed peacetime positions.
Spada 2000 anti-aircraft missile system
The Italian Spada 2000 is a second-generation air defense system. This system uses Aspide 2000 air-to-air missiles, adapted for launch from a ground launcher, placed in transport and launch containers.
The first production Spada air defense system, armed with Aspide-1A missiles (based on the American AIM-7 Sparrow), was delivered to the Italian Air Force in 1983. Subsequently, the MBDA-produced air defense system was repeatedly upgraded, and in the mid-1990s, the improved Spada 2000 was introduced. Besides Italy, Spada systems were used by the armed forces of Spain, Pakistan, Thailand, and Ukraine. A total of approximately 30 batteries were produced.
The battery comprises a command post, four launchers with six missiles each, support vehicles, and transport vehicles. The command post houses a tracking and target illumination radar. To enhance the system's immunity to interference, the radar is coupled with a television tracking system, which is used in environments with strong radio interference. The Spada 2000 system is equipped with a surveillance radar with a mast-mounted antenna, enabling the detection of low-altitude targets at a distance of up to 120 km. The maximum firing range of Aspide 2000 missiles from a ground-based launcher is 25 km. The target illumination station locks on to a target at a distance of 60 km.
The Italian Air Force's anti-aircraft missile units had 16 Spada/Spada 2000 batteries, which were mainly used to cover air bases, transport hubs, and large military garrisons.
Google Earth satellite image of a Spada 2000 air defense system at an airfield near Padua in northern Italy. The image was taken in May 2009.
By 2025, two Spada 2000 batteries remained in service, and several more SAMs were stored at military bases.
A Google Earth satellite image shows Spada 2000 air defense missile systems stockpiled at a military base 2 km east of Cervia in the province of Ravenna in northern Italy. The image was taken in February 2024.
Until 2023, Spain was a major operator of the Spada 2000 air defense system in Europe, but currently the majority of Spanish systems of this type have been transferred to Ukraine, where they are used to combat drones and cruise missiles. According to reference data, in 2024, Spain had one battery remaining in service.
Google Earth satellite image of a Spada 2000 air defense system in the southern suburbs of Seville. The image was taken in November 2022.
NASAMS surface-to-air missile system
The American-Norwegian NASAMS (Norwegian Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System) is considered a highly successful medium-range air defense system. This system was developed in the first half of the 1990s by a consortium that included the American company Hughes Aircraft (later acquired by Raytheon) and the Norwegian company Norsk Forsvarteknologia (now part of the Kongsberg Defence group).
NASAMS air defense missile launcher on a transport vehicle
The NASAMS SAM system uses the AIM-120 AMRAAM long-range air-to-air missile with an active radar homing head, which, under certain conditions, allows for fire-and-forget operation.
NASAMS SAM launcher
The NASAMS air defense system includes a Sentinel AN/MPQ-64F1 multifunctional three-dimensional radar, an MSP500 passive optronic radar, a FDC command post, and a GBADOC mobile communications center, which allows integration into the upper-echelon network for information exchange. The various radars and associated command posts are networked via radio links, enabling real-time air situational awareness. Various types of trucks can be used to transport the launchers, command post, and mobile communications center.
In 1995, the Norwegian Air Force signed the first contract for the acquisition of NASAMS air defense systems. In 2005, work began on integrating the Norwegian systems into the unified control system. Defense NATO and improving their combat performance. The upgraded NASAMS II SAM entered service with the Norwegian Air Force in 2007. NASAMS II control centers are capable of exchanging and processing information in Link 11, Link 16 and JREAP formats.
The NASAMS II air defense system has a firing range of 30 km and an altitude reach of 20 km. When firing AMRAAM-ER missiles, the range and altitude capabilities are increased by approximately 1,5 times.
NASAMS systems of various modifications are in service in Norway, the Netherlands, Spain, Finland, Oman, Lithuania, and Indonesia. Following the events of 2001, one air defense system was deployed in central Washington (the Americans sometimes use the unofficial designation MIM-120A). In the fall of 2022, it was announced that eight NASAMS II air defense systems were scheduled to be delivered to Ukraine.
Currently, the only air defense system designed to intercept aerodynamic targets and on permanent alert in the United States is NASAMS. One SAM system of this type is deployed to protect government buildings in Washington, D.C.
Google Earth satellite image of a NASAMS missile launcher in the northwest suburbs of Washington, D.C., taken in August 2023.
Three NASAMS launch sites are located in the northwest, east, and south suburbs of Washington.
Qatar became the first country to purchase AMRAAM-ER air defense systems in 2019. The total contract value from Raytheon was $346,5 million.
Google Earth satellite image of NASAMS II air defense system components at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, taken in December 2022.
Qatar's NASAMS II air defense systems were deployed around the country's largest city, the capital Doha, and were primarily designed to defend against cruise missiles and attack drones. As of 2022, three batteries were parked near Al Udeid Air Base, where US Air Force aircraft are also based.
Israeli Barak 8 (MX) anti-aircraft missile system
The Barak 8 medium-range air defense missile system was developed jointly by India's Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), based on the Barak-1 naval air defense system. The modification intended for the IDF is designated Barak MX.
The Barak MX land-based air defense system battery consists of a combat control post, a multifunctional EL/M-2084 illumination and guidance radar (based on other types of surveillance radars), three launchers with eight vertical launch missiles, transport and loading vehicles, a mobile diesel power plant, and a communications and control vehicle.
The solid-fuel, two-stage SAM with an active radar homing head weighs 275 kg and is 4,5 meters long. The warhead weighs 60 kg. It has a range of up to 90 km against aerodynamic targets. Ballistic missiles can be intercepted at a distance of up to 20 km.
After launch, the missile is placed on an interception trajectory and receives illumination from the guidance radar.
Antenna post of the multifunctional radar EL/M-2084
When the missile approaches the target to the range where the active seeker is engaged, the second engine is ignited. In-flight guidance equipment transmits information to the missile and can retarget it after launch, increasing flexibility and reducing missile consumption.
As of June 2025, Israel had no more than two Barak MX batteries deployed. However, they were not detected on satellite imagery.
The Barak 8 (MR-SAM) air defense system was inducted into service with the Indian Army in 2021 and received the local designation Abhra.
Towed launcher of the Indian Abhra air defense system
In October 2024, Bharat Electronics and Israel Aerospace Industries announced the establishment of a joint venture, BEL IAI AeroSystems, to provide technical support and maintenance for the Abhra air defense system throughout its lifecycle in the Indian armed forces. The missiles will be assembled at Bharat Dynamics Limited's facility in Hyderabad, Telangana. The primary components of the missiles will be manufactured at the Indo-Israeli joint venture, Kalyani Rafael Advanced Systems.
Google Earth satellite image of Indian Abhra air defense missile system launchers at Jaisalmer Air Base. The image was taken in April 2023.
The Abhra air defense system currently equips the 503rd Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment, part of the Trishakti Corps, headquartered in North Bengal. The first battery was deployed at Jaisalmer Air Force Base in Rajasthan.
Google Earth satellite image of the EL/M-2084 Abhra radar at Jaisalmer Air Force Base. The image was taken in April 2023.
In May 2025, Indian media reported that an Abhra air defense system intercepted a Pakistani Fatah-II missile, which has a range of up to 400 km, near Sirsa in Haryana. The Indian Army Air Defense Corps is expected to deploy five regiments armed with Abhra systems.
In addition to India and Israel, the Barak 8 air defense system is in service in Azerbaijan, Cyprus, Colombia, and Morocco.
Azerbaijan initially ordered a Barak 8 battery and 75 anti-aircraft missiles. The price of each battery, including radar and support equipment, was $25 million, while the SAMs cost approximately $1,5 million each. According to reference data, Azerbaijan currently has four Barak 8 SAM batteries.
Google Earth satellite image showing the position of the Barak 8 air defense system on the northern outskirts of Baku in the Kurdakhani district. The image was taken in April 2025.
A Barak 8 air defense system position was discovered on the northern outskirts of Baku in the Kurdakhani district, 2 km from the coast. An S-75M3 Volkhov air defense system was previously deployed at this location.
Indian Akash air defense missile system
In the early 1980s, India began developing the Akash air defense missile system, which was intended to replace the Soviet S-125M and 2K12E Kvadrat air defense systems (the export version of the 2K12 Kub). The Kvadrat served as the inspiration for specialists at the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO, an agency within the Department of Defence Research and Development, Ministry of Defence, India), who were designing the new air defense missile system. Like the Kub-Kvadrat, the Indian system used a ramjet-powered missile powered by a composite propellant (magnesium powder, nitroglycerin, and cellulose nitrate). The oxidizer was atmospheric oxygen, supplied through the air intakes. Air target acquisition and fire control radars, a mobile command post, and missile launchers were developed by BEL, Tata Advanced Systems Limited, and Larsen & Toubro. However, work on the new medium-range air defense system was significantly delayed, and Akash became yet another Indian long-term project.
The Soviet 9M9 family of SAMs, used in the Kub SAM system, used a semi-active radar guidance system that guided the missile to the reflected signal of the target. However, the first Indian missile, known as the Akash Mk 1, used radio command guidance (like the S-125M SAM system). Its firing range reached 25 km, and its ceiling was up to 20 km. By the time the missile ran out of fuel at an altitude of 9000 m, it had accelerated to 840 m/s.
Such characteristics would have looked good in the 1970s and 1980s, but in the 21st century, the Indian military quite reasonably refused to accept the Akash Mk 1 missile system into service.
The next modification of the Akash Mk1S SAM, tested in 2019, featured combined guidance: radio command guidance in the initial and mid-course phases, and active radar guidance in the terminal phase. The Akash Prime missile also uses command guidance in the initial phase and is equipped with an improved active radar seeker with an increased range and target acquisition sector. Its engagement range against large, high-altitude targets exceeds 30 km, and its ceiling reaches 18 km.
Test launch of the Akash Mk1S SAM
Tests of the Akash Prime air-to-air missile system (ATSMS) were conducted in 2021. An order for serial production was placed for 2023. The missile is manufactured by Bharat Dynamics Limited, while its subsidiary, Bharat Electronics, produces radars, mobile command posts, simulators, and support equipment.
Each Akash battery has one Rajendra multi-function radar operating in the 4,5-8 GHz frequency range, which is linked to four launchers with three anti-aircraft missiles each.
Rajendra multi-role radar used by the Akash air defense system of the BBC of India
The Rajendra radar can guide up to two missiles to a single target, simultaneously engage four targets, and track 64 objects at a range of up to 90 km. The multifunctional radar station and missile launches are controlled from a mobile battery command post. Thirty-two Rajendra radars have been ordered by 2025.
The Indian Air Force is being supplied with mobile launchers on a wheeled chassis with a rotating section and three rail guides. The towed platform houses vertical and horizontal guidance mechanisms, electrical equipment, and the equipment for preparing and launching anti-aircraft missiles.
According to information published by Indian sources, two squadrons of Akash air defense systems were introduced into trial operation in 2009. However, due to the low reliability and unsatisfactory range and altitude characteristics of the first-generation surface-to-air missiles, further deployment of these systems was delayed, and their official acceptance into service occurred in 2012.
Akash SAMs are currently used to provide air defense coverage for strategically important installations, and most are permanently deployed near military airfields. For example, two Akash missile squadrons (battalions) are currently stationed at Gwalior Air Force Base in Madhya Pradesh, replacing the S-125M SAMs in the area.
Google Earth satellite image of an Akash air defense system at Gwalior Air Base. The image was taken in February 2024.
Compared to the Soviet S-125M air defense system, the Indian Akash has better mobility and can change firing positions more quickly.
From time to time, missile squadrons permanently stationed at designated bases are redeployed to field positions for training purposes and during periods of threat. For example, several squadrons were deployed closer to the border in 2025 during the latest escalation with Pakistan, and they are credited with downing several reconnaissance UAVs. As of 2024, the Indian Air Force had 15 missile squadrons, seven of which were equipped with the improved Akash Prime SAM. 125 missiles have been produced for each system.
South Korean anti-aircraft missile system Cheolmae-2
The Cheolmae-2 air defense missile system, also known as the KM-SAM, has been developed jointly since 2001 by the Russian Almaz-Antey Air Defense Concern and the Fakel Machine-Building Design Bureau, along with the South Korean companies Samsung Techwin, LIG Nex1, and Doosan DST. The contract was awarded to the South Korean government's Defense Development Agency. All components of the Cheolmae-2 air defense system have been in serial production in South Korea since 2015. Mass deployment of this type of air defense system began in 2017.
The battery of the Cheolmae-2 air defense system consists of a radar, a mobile command post and 4-6 self-propelled launchers on the chassis of an off-road truck. Each SPU has eight interceptor missiles housed in transport and launch containers.
The main elements of the South Korean Cheolmae-2 air defense missile system
The mobile multifunctional three-coordinate radar provides simultaneous tracking of dozens of targets and the firing of several of them, as well as the transmission of target information and the necessary commands to the missile immediately before launch and during its flight.
According to information published in open sources, the anti-aircraft missile for the South Korean Cheolmae-2 air defense system is based on the 9M96 SAM developed by the Fakel Design Bureau. The Korean-made missile is equipped with a combined guidance system: command-inertial guidance in the initial and mid-course phases of its flight path, and active radar guidance in the terminal phase. The missile, 4,61 meters long, 0,275 meters in diameter, and weighing 400 kg, can maneuver with accelerations of up to 50g. Its range is up to 40 km, and its altitude is up to 20 km. The Cheolmae-2 air defense system is reported to have certain anti-missile capabilities. However, there is no doubt that the system's effectiveness against ballistic missiles, with its relatively short firing range, will be significantly inferior to longer-range systems.
Google Earth satellite image showing the Cheolmae-2 air defense system position near Chuncheon. The image was taken in April 2021.
As of 2024, South Korea had approximately 15 Cheolmae-2 batteries deployed, a significant number for a country of its size. Almost all of the new SAMs are located on natural high ground, primarily on former Advanced Hawk SAM sites.
Google Earth satellite image showing the Cheolmae-2 air defense system position north of Seoul. The image was taken in March 2025.
During the initial phase, the MIM-23B I-Hawk and Cheolmae-2 air defense systems provided backup for each other. However, all of the Republic of Korea's older first-generation American air defense missile systems have now been decommissioned.
Google Earth satellite image showing the Cheolmae-2 air defense missile system position north of Pocheon City in Gyeonggi Province. The image was taken in July 2025.
Most of South Korea's new Cheolmae-2 air defense systems are deployed in areas bordering North Korea. In the event of an attack from North Korea, they are intended to act as a barrier to the largely hopelessly outdated, but no less dangerous, North Korean combat aircraft. Some Cheolmae-2 batteries are located less than 30 kilometers from the border and are within range of North Korea's long-range missiles. artillery.
However, after the creation of the “air defense fence” along the border with the DPRK, Cheolmae-2 systems began to be deployed in other areas of the country.
Google Earth satellite image of a Cheolmae-2 SAM system positioned at a former MIM-14 Nike-Hercules SAM site northwest of Gangneung. The image was taken in October 2023.
A special feature are the two Cheolmae-2 batteries covering the city of Gangneung, located on the central east coast of Gangwon Province. One of them is located on a former MIM-14 Nike-Hercules long-range air defense system site, a rare occurrence.
Taiwanese anti-aircraft missile systems of the Tien Kung family
Initially, Taiwan's primary air defense system consisted of American Nike-Hercules and Hawk air defense systems. These first-generation single-channel systems have now been replaced by American Patriot PAC-2/PAC-3 and Taiwanese Tien Kung II/III systems. Up to ten Skyguard-Sparrow and TC-2H Sky Sword II air defense systems, which employ AIM-7F Sparrow and Sky Sword II air-to-air missiles, are also deployed to cover airbases.
The engagement zones of Taiwan's target air defense missile systems as of 2015. The I-HAWK air defense missile system is marked in orange, the Sparrоw-Sparrow air defense missile system is marked in green, the Patriot air defense missile system is marked in yellow, and the Tien Kung II air defense missile system is marked in red.
For a country with an area of 36,197 km², the Republic of China has an unprecedented density of deployment of anti-aircraft missile systems.
Following the establishment of diplomatic relations between Washington and Beijing, the Taipei government decided to reduce its dependence on the United States for arms supplies. Consequently, Taiwan began developing a long-range air defense system in 1981. The Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology, in conjunction with the American corporations Raytheon and Lockheed Martin, developed the new "strategic" air defense system. The Taiwanese system utilized technical solutions implemented in the Patriot air defense system. Deployment of the system, designated Tien Kung, began in 1993.
The Tien Kung SAM system included semi-active radar-guided surface-to-air missiles, a command post, a Chang Bei multi-function radar, a CS/MPG-25 illumination and guidance radar, missile delivery and loading vehicles, an independent power plant, and communications equipment. The Chang Bai phased-array radar shares many similarities with Lockheed Martin's ADAR-HP (Air Defense Array Radar-High Power) and operates in the 2-4 GHz (S-band) range. The declared detection range for a high-altitude target measuring 1 m² is approximately 400 km.
Mobile version of the Chang Bai radar
The fixed antenna provides coverage across a 120° sector. The instrumented range is over 450 km. In addition to aerodynamic targets, the Chang Bai radar is also capable of effectively engaging ballistic missiles. At least seven such stations have been built.
It is known that both mobile and well-protected silo launchers, separated from the radar unit by several kilometers, were developed for the Tien Kung SAM system. The solid-fuel anti-aircraft missile, externally similar to the American MIM-104, was 5,4 meters long, 0,41 meters in diameter, and weighed 915 kg. It could fly at speeds up to Mach 4. Its range was up to 70 km. After launch, inertial guidance was used during the initial phase of its trajectory. As it approached the target, the missile's trajectory was adjusted using radio commands. Upon approaching the target, the CS/MPG-25 target illumination radar was activated, after which the semi-active radar seeker guided the SAM to the reflected signal.
In 1998, the Tien Kung II SAM, based on the previous model, entered testing. The use of an additional booster module and an extended main engine burn time increased the maximum speed to Mach 4,5 and extended the firing range to 150 km. The SAM also became 23 cm longer, and its launch weight is now 1135 kg. The warhead weighs 90 kg. The Tien Kung II SAM missiles can be launched from either silos or towed launchers, which are similar in appearance to the American M902 launchers used in the Patriot PAC-3 SAM system.
To guide the Tien Kung II SAM to its target in the terminal phase of its trajectory, it uses an active radar seeker operating at frequencies of 28-32 GHz. Inertial guidance and radio correction are used during the initial stages of flight. A computing system similar to that used in the American Aegis combat information and control system allows for the simultaneous engagement of multiple targets. The Tien Kung II SAM can engage actively maneuvering aerial targets in the face of electronic countermeasures. This SAM has reportedly acquired anti-missile capabilities and is capable of engaging tactical missiles with a launch range of up to 500 km.
Google Earth satellite image showing the Tien Kung II air defense system position on Penghu Island. The image was taken in August 2024.
The coordinates of six Tien Kung II air defense missile systems are known. Four of them are located on Taiwan Island, one each on Penghu Island and Matsu Island off the coast of China.
The next modification of the Tien Kung III boasts improved anti-missile capabilities and an expanded aerodynamic target engagement zone. The Tien Kung III anti-aircraft missile is equipped with an active radar homing head operating in the 12-18 GHz frequency range. The Chang Shan phased array radar, operating in the 4-8 GHz frequency range, has been developed for the upgraded system.
Tien Kung III missile launch
Tien Kung III missiles are launched from a transport and launch container. The launcher has four transport and launch containers. The use of a more efficient solid propellant formulation significantly improves the missile's performance. The missile has a launch weight of 880 kg, a length of 5,5 m, and a diameter of 0,4 m. Its maximum speed is up to Mach 7. Its firing range against aerodynamic targets is up to 200 km, and against ballistic targets, up to 40 km.
A Google Earth satellite image shows a Taiwanese Tien Kung III air defense system at a former MIM-23B Improved Hawk site on the northern outskirts of Changhua City. The image was taken in January 2025.
The Tien Kung III air defense system is believed to be capable of effectively engaging the full spectrum of aerodynamic targets and operational-tactical ballistic missiles. As of 2024, the positions of two such systems were known.
Japanese Type 03 and Type 03 Kai anti-aircraft missile systems
By the end of the Cold War, Japan had reached a level of scientific and technological development that allowed it to independently design and manufacture short- and medium-range air defense missile systems that fully met high international standards. In an emergency, a consortium formed by leading Japanese corporations operating in electronics, aircraft, and rocket engineering could have independently developed its own equivalent of the MIM-104 Patriot air defense system. However, the Japanese leadership, for political reasons and to save time, chose to purchase the Patriots.
However, even before the American Patriot order was placed in the late 1980s, Mitsubishi Electronics, together with the Technical Research and Development Institute (TRDI) of the Japan Defense Agency, began developing a concept for a national multi-channel, medium-range, target-based air defense system, which was intended to replace the MIM-23B Improved Hawk (American-made) and Hawk Type III (Japanese-made) systems. Practical work on this project began in 1990.
Initially, it was expected that no more than 10 years would pass from the start of work to its acceptance into service. However, difficulties encountered during the system's finalization required additional testing, which was conducted from 2001 to 2003 at the White Sands Test Range in New Mexico.
The Type 03 anti-aircraft missile battery consists of three launchers with six SAMs in a transport and loading platform, transport and loading vehicles, a fire control post, a communications post, a multifunctional radar and a mobile diesel power plant.
Type 03 self-propelled air defense missile system launchers
The self-propelled launcher, multi-function radar, diesel generator, and transport module used in the Type 03 SAM system are mounted on a four-axle, all-wheel-drive Kato Works chassis. The unified container modules for the command post and communications vehicle are mounted on a Toyota Mega Cruiser all-terrain vehicle. In the combat position, the self-propelled launcher is leveled using four hydraulic jacks, and the transport module stack is installed vertically.
The multifunctional radar with AESA is capable of tracking up to 100 air targets and simultaneously engaging 12 of them.
Information about the air situation, the technical condition of the system's components, and the availability of missiles ready for launch is displayed on the fire control center's displays. The system is equipped with interface equipment for Japan's JADGE automated air defense control system, allowing for the rapid distribution of targets between different batteries.
To engage air targets, the Type 03 SAM system uses a SAM with an active radar homing head, borrowed from the AAM-4 air-to-air missile. The SAM weighs 570 kg, is 4900 mm long, and has a body diameter of 310 mm. The warhead weighs 73 kg. Maximum velocity is 850 m/s. Firing range is 50 km. Altitude reach is 10 km. The missile launches vertically and then heads toward the target. During the initial phase of its trajectory, the SAM is guided by an inertial guidance system, using data downloaded before launch. The data link is used to transmit correction commands during the mid-course phase of the trajectory until the homing head locks on the target.
The new medium-range air defense system, designated Type 03 (military designation SAM-4), was officially accepted into service in 2005.
A Google Earth satellite image shows components of a Type 03 and a Hawk Type III air defense system at the Shimoshizu Air Base in Chiba. The image was taken in February 2020.
In 2003, even before the official acceptance into service, the first Type 03 battery was delivered to the Air Defense Training Center of the Ground Self-Defense Forces, located at the Shimoshizu base in the city of Chiba (about 40 km east of central Tokyo).
In 2007, the Eastern Army's 2nd Anti-Aircraft Group achieved the required level of combat readiness. This unit's anti-aircraft missile battery has also been on combat alert at Shimoshizu Air Base since 2009. Previously, a Hawk Type III SAM battery was deployed at this location.
Google Earth satellite image of a Type 03 SAM system at a former Hawk Type III site at Shimoshizu Air Base. The image was taken in December 2016.
In 2008, units of the 8th Anti-Aircraft Group of the Central Army, stationed at the Aonohara base, 5 km north of the city of Ono, Hyogo Prefecture, began switching to the Type 03 SAM system from the Hawk Type III SAM system.
Google Earth satellite image of the Type 03 SAM system position at Aonohara Military Base. The image was taken in May 2018.
In 2014, the development of the upgraded Type 03 Kai system was announced. In 2015, successful tests were conducted at the White Sands Test Range in the United States, during which ten missiles from the Japanese system intercepted various targets, including the GQM-163 Coyote supersonic target. Thanks to the use of a more powerful radar and new missiles, the firing range exceeded 70 km, and the ability to engage ballistic targets was added. Thus, the Type 03 Kai gained anti-missile capabilities.
According to unofficial sources, one battery set of the Type 03 Kai variant was produced. Sixteen previously produced Type 03 systems deployed in positions and at bases are expected to reach this level.
A Google Earth satellite image shows components of a Type 03 and a Hawk Type III air defense system stored at the Shimoshizu Military Base in Chiba City. The image was taken in December 2021.
The improved Type 03 Kai air defense system could be of interest to foreign customers. However, Japanese law prohibits its sale. weapons Japanese-made air defense systems are not exported abroad. If legislative restrictions are lifted, Japanese short- and medium-range air defense systems could become fierce competitors in the global arms market to other vendors offering similar products.
To be continued ...
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