US/S.KOREA CONSIDER SEA OF JAPAN 'AEGIS' DEPLOYMENT TO SHOOT DOWN N. KOREAN MISSILES (TRANSLATION)

Nikka Fuji (from Choson Ilbo Daily) Translated ^ | 3 March 2003 | Nikkan Fuji (from Choson Ilbo Daily) Translated

[AmericanInTokyo]

The evening paper "Nikkan Fuji" in Tokyo (local time, Monday night) reports that the Korean daily "Choson Ilbo" has run a story that the US and South Korea are considering a dispatch to the Sea of Japan of the Yokosuka, Japan-based US 7th Fleet's Aegis destroyer(s), to pre-position it/them in the event of any launch by North Korea of their long-rage TAEPODONG-2 missile (which threatens S. Korea, Japan and the US West Coast).

(Link, above, to the original Japanese-language article). (OPEN SOURCE INFORMATION)

The conclusion by US military planners was apparantly reached with the reality that in the event of a North Korean Taepodong launch, mass panic in Japan would occur, and this would have a devastating effect on the international economy.

The Aegis Destroyer(s) would be positioned not far from the coastal water areas of North Korea where current testing of Taepodong misile technology is taking place. A Taepodong launch is seen as a real possibility in the next few weeks and months, particularly if the US becomes engaged with Iraq.

Further, today's report in Choson Ilbo states that the US would initiate electronic warfare to disrupt and render useless missile guidance, telemetry and other ground control communications in the DPRK to the multi-staged missile capable of carrying Weapons of Mass Destruction.

This one-two punch is reported tonight in this Japanese newspaper.

(Freepranslation summary provided by: "AmericanInTokyo")

[Steel Wolf]

Doesn't Japan have Aegis crusiers? I'm not too up on naval affairs, but I thought they had a couple. Even so, I assume that ours would be more state of the art versions (although with Japanese technology you never know).

Glad to see that everyone is taking this more and more seriously. Kimmy isn't playing around, and I'm sure we'll see another 'peaceful satellite launch' before too long.

[gridlock]

I was curious about this. Japan does have Aegis ships. Do they have the capability of taking out an ICBM during the boost phase?

Enquiring minds want to know!

[AmericanInTokyo]

Yes, good question SW. Japan (the JMSDF) indeed has thier own Aegis guided missile destroyers. In fact two of them did joint patrols in the Arabian Sea with the USS George Washington Battle Group in the past.

I agree that Kim Jong il will try something. I don't believe yet it will be an attack across the border, which is possible, but rather, should and would perhaps be a Taepodong launch about the time our forces attack Iraq. They will do all they can to rattle our and Japan's cages in the next few weeks, IMHO.

[Tallguy]

The Japanese do in fact have Aegis-equipped destroyers. I think they are "Kongo" class, if I remember correctly. Not sure if their AEGIS system is capable of detecting/tracking ICBM's though. Anybody know?

[John H K]

The antimissle Aegis capability requires an exceedingly expensive specially modified STANDARD missle, which I don't believe the Japanese have. And special software for the Aegis system, which I believe we're only installing on 8 of our Aegis ships...I'm not totally up on the status of Aegis ABM.

[AmericanInTokyo]

Seem to recall some press reference to "S-2"? (but I believe that is Russian class). Wonder if they are equipped with these, and if these can do the trick:

Type 81 Tan-SAM; Type 93 Tan-SAM-kai; Chu-SAM ?

[AmericanInTokyo]

I doubt these are appropriate, nor would they do the trick.

[HighRoadToChina]

BUMP!

[Tallguy]

The antimissle Aegis capability requires an exceedingly expensive specially modified STANDARD missle, which I don't believe the Japanese have. And special software for the Aegis system, which I believe we're only installing on 8 of our Aegis ships...I'm not totally up on the status of Aegis ABM.

I suspected as much. Of course those 8 (proposed) ABM-capable AEGIS ships automatically become "strategic assets" and the Navy "loses" these ships to the Pentagon.

This is reminicent of the way the Navy lost control of many of the EA-8B "Prowler" ECM aircraft. Any time the USAF needs jamming aircraft, the Prowlers get the call.