Japan Pushes AARGM-ER to Undercut Warship Defenses Ahead of Strikes

Japan’s FY2027 defense budget request includes funding to acquire Northrop Grumman’s AARGM-ER to degrade enemy warship air defenses and enable long-range anti-ship strikes, with the missile to be carried by F-35s and potentially given an air-to-air role for the ASM-3 Kai; details on quantity or cost are not disclosed. The move reflects Tokyo’s broader push to expand maritime strike capabilities and suppression assets, following U.S. testing that demonstrated AARGM-ER’s maritime targeting potential.