Japan Drops Plans To Procure US-Made Anti-Ship Missiles As Price Spirals Up - Reports

Japan has abandoned plans to purchase US-made anti-ship missiles for its F-15 fighter jets over skyrocketing prices, the Kyodo news agency reported on Thursday

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 05th August, 2021) Japan has abandoned plans to purchase US-made anti-ship missiles for its F-15 fighter jets over skyrocketing prices, the Kyodo news agency reported on Thursday.

The Japanese Defense Ministry has reportedly informed the ruling Liberal Democratic Party about the decision.

Initially, the two countries agreed on the price of 98 billion Yen ($894 million) to upgrade the jets with the Long Range Anti-Ship Missiles (LRASM), but later the price went up to 218 billion yen (over $1.9 billion) due to shortages of electrical components and the need to update the software, according to the media outlet.

The missiles with a reported range of 900 kilometers (559 miles) are deemed vital by Japan in light of China's military buildup, the news agency said.