Homeland defence: Japan’s new radar enters crucial testing phase

Lockheed Martin has begun a comprehensive testing phase for the radar system destined for Japan’s new Aegis System Equipped Vessels (ASEV), marking a major step forward in the country’s missile defence programme.

In a key milestone completed on schedule, Lockheed successfully achieved the “initial light off” of the first ship’s radar set, which includes all four AN/SPY-7(V)1 antennas, at its Production and Test Centre in Moorestown, New Jersey, the September 30 press release states . At the test centre, a building that is similar in shape to the mast of the Aegis System Equipped Vessels carries the radar antennas, allowing tests of all aspects of the radar to be tested.  

The initial power-up marks the start of rigorous validation for the full radar system, integrated with the Aegis combat system. This land-based testing is critical to de-risking the complex ship construction and commissioning schedule for the Japan Ministry of Defence (JMOD) and is being carried out in partnership with the US Missile Defense Agency (MDA).

“By testing the complete SPY-7 radar system in a land-based facility, we’re able to verify the SPY-7 radar’s Ballistic Missile Defence and Integrated Air and Missile Defence capabilities meet warfighter needs ahead of shipboard installation,” said Chandra Marshall, vice president and general manager at Lockheed Martin, adding that the system will serve as a “critical component of Japan’s homeland defence.”

Following the completion of this testing, the first shipset will perform further tracking exercises before its physical delivery to Japan next year. Work will then progress to the second shipset, which will be sold off to the JMOD to begin its own testing and verification phase.

Global Progress and Key Milestones

The ASEV programme has seen a steady progression of key milestones this year, building on the success of the wider SPY-7 radar family across the globe:

• Antenna Handover: Lockheed Martin officially handed over all four AN/SPY-7(V) radar antennas for the first ASEV shipset to the JMOD in July 2025. Although the antennas remained in the US for the current testing, the on-time delivery demonstrated manufacturing capacity.
• Spanish Frigate Integration: Across the Atlantic, the SPY-7(V)2 variant, destined for Spain’s F-110 Multi-Mission Frigates, achieved a major milestone in December 2024. The Spanish shipbuilder Navantia successfully completed the first live track demonstration, following it up with the full integration of its SCOMBA combat system consoles with Aegis and SPY-7.
• Homeland Defence Demonstration: On the domestic side, Lockheed Martin and the MDA successfully executed Flight Test Other-26a (FTX-26a), during which the firm’s Long Range Discrimination Radar (LRDR), a similar solid-state radar technology, successfully detected, tracked, and reported ballistic missile target data in a complex environment, validating its ability to provide crucial data to US homeland defence systems.
• The River Class: The SPY-7 technology is also set to be installed on Canada’s River-Class Destroyers, a new class of up to 15 guided missile destroyers based on the Type 26, with the first ship expected to enter service in the early 2030s.

Calibre comment

The intensive land-based verification now underway in New Jersey aims to ensure a smooth transition to the shipyard as Japan gears up to enhance its own naval ballistic missile defence shield. This shield includes offensive capabilities including a long-range variant of the Type-12 anti-ship missile and “Hyper Velocity Gliding Projectiles.” Japan’s intent is to attack an invading force as well as defend against its missiles that are presumed to be the first element of an offensive. The ASEVs are intended to provide air defence with a specific focus on ballistic missiles. However, the concept has come under fire from several angles, not least of which are its costs. There are also concerns around the ability to actually defend the ships and Japan’s surface fleet in general. At the very least, it is clear that Japan will require significant magazine depth of air defence interceptors should it have to defend itself, which is also an expensive undertaking. 

By Sam Cranny-Evans, published on October 2, 2025. The lead image shows the AN/SPY-7 radar antenna integrated onto Lockheed Martin’s test facility which is similar in shape to an ASEV. Credit: Lockheed Martin.