Japan's new battleships outgun China's Type 055 destroyers
Japan is building two new, heavily armed ASEV-type (AEGIS System Equipped Vessel) destroyers. These ships, which surpass even Chinese Type 055 destroyers in armament, according to official sources, are intended to strengthen the air defence and ballistic missile defence of the archipelago.
A model showing the technical details of the ASEV-type destroyers was presented at the IDEX 2025 fair in Abu Dhabi by Lockheed Martin, which is responsible, among other things, for the AEGIS system installed on the ships.
The Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force currently operates eight missile destroyers representing three different types in terms of size and potential: Kongo (4), Atago (2), and Maya (2). All are equipped with the AEGIS combat management system, providing air and ballistic missile defence for the ships and the entire area of operations they are in.
This development counters the advancement of Chinese and North Korean ballistic missiles and presents a challenge for Moscow, whose Pacific Fleet is increasingly lagging behind the potential of the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force. This is significant in a situation where both countries — despite the end of hostilities in 1945 — have not concluded an official peace treaty, and territorial disputes over the Kuril Islands remain unresolved.
New ships with AEGIS BMD
The land-based AEGIS Ashore system was supposed to complement these forces (like the one at the American base in Poland, built in Redzikowo), but resident protests forced authorities to abandon the construction of these installations. To compensate for their absence, the decision was made to build new, large, highly armed destroyers with the AEGIS BMD system, currently provisionally named ASEV type.
The classification is conventional, similar to many other Japanese or Chinese ships. Japanese destroyers will be significantly larger than American cruisers and more heavily armed than Chinese Type 055 destroyers/cruisers, equipped with 112-cell VLS launchers.
Japanese ASEV super destroyers
According to the limited, disclosed specifications, ASEV-type ships will have 190-metre hulls, a displacement of 15,000 to 18,000 tonnes, and a 128-cell VLS launcher (two 64-cell modules at the bow and stern).
The launchers will include anti-aircraft missiles such as ESSM, RIM-161 (SM-3), RIM-174 (SM-6), and also RGM-109 Tomahawk cruise missiles. Additionally, separate launchers will be installed for Japanese Type 12 anti-ship missiles with a range of 402 km (ultimately 9,977 km).
The cost of building two ships is estimated at $5.63 (CAD 8.1) billion. More than half of this amount is allocated to the AEGIS system components, such as the AN/SPY-7(V)1 radar and the ship's battle management centre, provided by Lockheed Martin. The plan is for both units to enter service in 2027 and 2028, respectively.
