Japan carries out anti-missile exercise in western city of Osaka-Xinhua

Japan carries out anti-missile exercise in western city of Osaka

Source: Xinhua

Editor: huaxia

2022-05-19 19:18:01

TOKYO, May 19 (Xinhua) -- Japan's Air Self-Defense Force (ASDF) carried out a drill in the western city of Osaka for deploying ground-based PAC-3 interceptor missiles, local media said on Thursday.

According to Japan's public broadcaster NHK, the training exercise which deployed the anti-missile batteries was conducted in the Maishima seaside area.

Local reports said six large military vehicles arrived in the seaside area from a Self-Defense Force base in Mie Prefecture, central Japan.

The vehicles were loaded with mobile interceptor missile launchers, as well as the PAC-3 system's radar equipment, according to local accounts.

For around 20 minutes, ASDF personnel ran through procedures to prepare the missile launchers and make the necessary adjustments to the system's antennas and radars, NHK said.

Similar drills are being conducted across the country, according to ASDF officials. The missile interceptor systems are usually deployed in the vicinity of likely targets of incoming missiles.

The range of the PAC-3's missiles is limited, hence the need for the system to be deployed close to key facilities as a second line of defense if Aegis-equipped destroyers at sea fail to intercept an incoming missile.