Imperial Japanese Air Defence
The
smaller of the three services, it had an authorized strength of 10,000
personnel and mirrors closely the organization of the IJAA, while both services
shares air assets, particularly interception aircrafts; and the IJAF General
Staff is discussing the possibility of merging both services in an integrated
Air Defence branch The Air Defence Command has northern, central, western and
eastern regional headquarters located at Misawa, Iruma, Kasuga and Setouchi.
All four regional headquarters control the Air Defence apparatus located in
their respective areas.
While Japan’s island-status is a deterrent for conventional invasions,
it's small size and densely-populated aspect would markedly increase the
mortality rate in any nuclear conflict in which Japan was directly targeted by
nuclear missiles. For example, some projections generated by the Ministry of
Defence (MOD) simulation computer programs suggested massive overkill figures
–i.e. a mortality-rate exceeding the Japanese population– for any major nuclear
war involving this country. The U.S., (the main foe in the MOD simulations) has
a larger surface area and a more dispersed population and –as a consequence–
would fare better in any nuclear conflict. Therefore, in the 1960s, the MOD
designed a whole new branch of the armed forces, a special anti-air and
anti-ballistic missile service that is dedicated to shooting down enemy bombers
and missiles. On 1974, the new IJAF service, the Imperial Japanese Air Defence,
came into being.
The IJAF continues to modernize and expand what is already the most
technologically advanced strategic air defence network in the world. The
mission is to be carried out by a strong pre-positioned national air defence
force established in peacetime according to a unified concept and plan. The
IJAD leadership is in constant search for the optimum organizational structure
of the air defence assets.
The IJAD have deployed a large number of strategic air defence systems
with capabilities against aircraft flying at medium and high altitudes. It is
now in the midst of a major effort to improve their capabilities against
aircraft and cruise missiles that operate at low altitudes.
This effort includes upgrading the early warning and surveillance systems; deployment of more efficient data-transmission systems; as well as development and initial deployment of new aircraft, associated air-to-air missiles, SAMs, and last-generation airborne warning and control system (AWACS) aircraft.
Currently, the IJAD is developing strategic SAM launchers (the Imperial Homeland Defence System), and
have nearly 2,000 tactical SAM launchers (the Tenken system), and some 1,500 air
defence radars. Approximately 225 air defence interceptor aircraft are
dedicated to strategic defence. An additional 100 interceptors assigned to the
IJN Air Forces could be drawn upon for strategic defence missions.
Collectively, these assets present a formidable defence barrier.
The most capable Japanese air defence interceptor aircraft, the RAIDEN,
has a look-down/shoot-down and multiple-target engagement capability. Over 150
RAIDENs are now operationally deployed at several locations from northern
Karafuto to Okinawa and Nan-yo Gunto. Thus far, the RAIDEN has been dedicated
to homeland air defence. Two new fighters, the SUISEI and the TENSAN, also have
look-down/shoot-down capabilities and are designed to be highly manoeuvrable in
air-to-air combat. The IJAA have already deployed 100 TENSANs to the homeland
defence interceptor role. They also have begun deploying the longer range
SUISEI, both to strategic aviation and into air defence interceptor units in
the Imperial Homeland.
These three aircraft are equipped with three new air-to-air missiles.
The RAIDEN carries the long-range SH-9, and the TENSAN and the SUISEI carry the
medium-range SH-10 and the short-range SH-11. All can be used against
low-flying targets.
The IJAA and the IJAD also developed and are deploying the RYUSEI AWACS
aircraft, which substantially improve Japanese capabilities for airborne early
warning and air battle management, especially against low-flying aircraft. The
G4M, a tanker variant of the NK41, is being introduced into the Japanese
aircraft inventory and will be used in support of the strategic bombers and
various air defence elements, including the new RYUSEI.
The IJAD maintains the world's most modern early warning system for air
defence. It comprises a network of ground-based radars linked operationally
with those of the other branches. As previously noted, more than 1,500 air
surveillance radars provide virtually complete coverage at medium-to-high
altitudes over Japan and, in some areas, well beyond its borders. Three
operational over-the-horizon radars for ballistic missile detection provide
additional long-range warning of the approach of high-flying aircraft. A new
over-the-horizon radar under construction in the Nan-yo Gunto Special Prefecture will provide
long-range detection of aircraft from the Pacific Ocean.
The IJAD also has an active research and development program designed to
improve its air surveillance network. In 1983, it began to deploy two types of
air surveillance radars that will enhance Japanese capabilities for air
defence, electronic warfare, and early warning of cruise missile and bomber
attacks. They are also continuing to deploy improved air surveillance data
systems that can rapidly pass data from outlying radars through the air
surveillance network to ground-controlled intercept sites and SAM command
posts.
Japanese strategic surface-to-air missiles provide low-to-high altitude
barrier, area, and terminal defences under all weather conditions. Five systems
are now operational: the TC-1, TC-2, and TC-3, and the more capable O-B and O-C. Further
deployments and upgrades are probable in order to enhance the O-B's capability
to work with the newer O-C. The even more capable all-altitude O-D/DAIOTOCHI
will soon become operational, thus further enhancing Japanese strategic
defences.
The O-B offers significant advantages over older surface-to-air missile
systems, including multitarget handling and engagement characteristics, a
capability against low altitude targets with small radar cross-sections such as
cruise missiles, a capability against tactical ballistic missiles, and possibly
a potential to intercept some types of strategic ballistic missiles.
The first O-B site, near Tokyo, became operational in 1990. Over 30
sites are now operational and work is progressing on at least another 50 sites.
Nearly half of these sites are located near Tokyo and other big cities in
Honshu. This emphasis on Tokyo as well as the deployment patterns noted for the
other O-B sites reflects a first priority on terminal defence of highly
populated zones and command-and-control, military, and key industrial
complexes.
The IJAD and France’s L’Armée de l'Air also have begun developing
another important mobile SAM system, the Otochi/Moineau O-D/DAIOTOCHI. The O-D
missile system will be capable of intercepting aircraft at all altitudes as
well as cruise missiles and tactical and strategic ballistic missiles.
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Related issues: |
Imperial Japanese Air Defence Doctrine |
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Tenken: Japan’s Theatre Missile Defence |
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