Nakatani said Japan will receive Tomahawk missiles during the current fiscal year, which runs from 1 April to 31 March. To ensure prompt operational capability, modifications to Chokai will be completed within the same fiscal period.
The destroyer will undergo launch tests and other procedures to confirm readiness, including crew training, in the following year. Japan has included funding for these activities in its fiscal year 2026 defence budget request.
According to Nakatani, the United States is being considered as the location for the trials and test launches. Japan initially showed interest in acquiring Tomahawk missiles in 2017 as a response to potential North Korean missile threats.
Tomahawk integration is expected to be straightforward, as many Japanese destroyers are already fitted with the U.S.-designed Mk-41 Vertical Launch System. Japan agreed in January 2024 to purchase 400 Tomahawks through a block buy, comprising 200 Block IV and 200 Block V missiles, with deliveries scheduled between 2025 and 2027.
The government originally planned to acquire the missiles in fiscal year 2026 but advanced the schedule, citing the “increasingly severe security environment around Japan.” The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force began Tomahawk training in March 2024, preparing for deployment across its eight Aegis destroyers and two new Aegis system-equipped ships due in 2027 and 2028.
Other allies have recently conducted test launches in the United States, including Australia’s HMAS Brisbane in December 2024 and the Netherlands’ HNLMS De Ruyter in March. These moves reflect broader adoption of the missile system among U.S. partners.
Source: USNI News.
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