US, Japan agree to joint production of advanced missiles — Pajhwok

KABUL (Pajhwok): The United States and Japan have agreed to establish a missile assembly and inspection facility in Japan as part of efforts to boost joint production of advanced air-to-air missiles. The Associated Press (AP) reported that the agreement was reached during a meeting between Japanese Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi and US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth on the sidelines of the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting in Cebu, the Philippines. Under the agreement, the facility will carry out the final assembly and inspection of AIM-120 AMRAAM medium-range air-to-air missiles, which are used by fighter aircraft, including the F-35. Koizumi said the deal would help ensure a stable supply of essential defence equipment for both countries while strengthening Japan’s domestic defence industry. He added that the two countries had also agreed to share technical information to support increased production of SM-3 Block IIA ballistic missile interceptors. The agreements fall under an initiative known as Operation Supercharge, which aims to strengthen bilateral defence cooperation and expand military munitions production capacity. The move comes amid growing concerns over China’s military activities in the region and escalating maritime tensions between Beijing and Tokyo. Japanese officials, however, have yet to disclose the facility’s exact location or provide a timeline for the start of operations.