Japan/Australia anti-ship missile exercise

Japan's Ground Self-Defense Force (GSDF) has test-fired a surface-to-ship missile in an exercise with the Australian military. The GSDF has been taking part in a multinational drill that started in Australia on Thursday. The GSDF conducted a live-firing of a Type-12 anti-ship missile off the southern Australian coast of Jervis Bay on Saturday.

The training scenario targeted a small ship that had been located by Japanese and Australian drones. Officials say the missile hit the target. The Type-12 missile currently has a range of close to 200 kilometers. The Japanese Defense Ministry plans to extend the range to about 1,000 kilometers. This is the first time a Japanese-developed Type-12 missile was fired in training in Australia.