Mobile Medium-Range Missile
While air defense in general is the responsibility of the Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF), but the Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) also operates various anti-aircraft equipment to protect its ground forces.
Among these weapons, the domestically produced Type 03 Medium-Range Surface-to-Air Missile (SAM) is known for its long range and outstanding performance.
- General Overview
| Length | 4.9m (16ft) |
| Diameter | 28cm (11in) |
| Mass (Weight) | 454kg (1,000lbs) |
| Operator | 20 People |
| Firing Range | 60km (37miles) |
| Unit Price | 200 Million USD |
As the name suggests, the Type 03 SAM was introduced in 2003 as the successor to the outdated Hawk Missiles and has the longest range within the JGSDF’s anti-air arsenal.
It plays a crucial role in intercepting enemy fighter aircraft, supplementing the PAC-3 missiles operated by JASDF which usually focuses on ballistic missile defense.
The missiles are loaded on a six-round mobile launcher that adopts a vertical launch system, ensuring smoother deployment compared to the previous Hawk Missiles.
Accompanied by a combat command and fire-control system, anti-air radar, power source, and reloading device, the Type 03 SAM is a mobile air defense system that can achieve rapid deployment and comprehensive air cover.
Interestingly, the system has successfully reduced the operation staff from fifty to just twenty personnel.
Simultaneous Engagement
Now, regarding its performance, the radar employed by the Type 03 SAM system can detect over a hundred targets and simultaneously track up to twelve deemed as high-threats — a capability comparable to a mini-Aegis system.
In addition to this simultaneous engagement, the system is resistant to electronic warfare and features a data-link function that can coordinate with early warning aircraft, enabling effective defense against long-range enemy attacks.
Upon launching the missile, guidance is carried out by both the fire-control system and the missile’s own target acquisition capabilities. The maximum range is around 60km (37 miles), but the actual figure is considered to be larger.
Of course, specific details are classified as military secrets, but maintaining such ambiguity can serve as deterrence by facilitating uncertainty or compelling the adversaries to be hesitant.
Some things are just best to be left in the dark.
100% Success Rate?
Hosting an impressive simultaneous engagement capacity, the Type 03 comes at a cost of approximately 167 billion yen or 200 Million USD per system.
Though this may seem expensive, it would cost nearly double the amount if Japan were to substitute the PAC-2 missiles for the same role.
In order to improve its capability against low-altitude targets, a newer version called the Type 03 SAM-Kai (“Kai” means enhanced) was developed in 2010 and has been deployed to the Okinawa region to bolster island defense.
With enhanced data-link functions, this upgraded version offers more flexible response and wider area coverage, making it one of the world’s top air defense systems.
The new Type 03 SAM-Kai showed-off its greatness during a simulated test in 2015, where ten missiles successfully shot down ten airborne targets, astonishing the US military who were observing the demonstration.
Such performance, along with its mobile nature, is expected to discourage the enemy from securing air superiority during island defense.
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