Arie, Koichi, and Naohiko Yamaguchi

Abstract: In light of recent years’ increasing air and missile threats, both quantitatively and qualitatively, the United States, under its vision for integrated air and missile defense (IAMD), engages in programs for deterring air and missile attacks against the nation and its allies/partners and countering such attacks. IAMD explores the way to integrate attack operations, active defense, and passive defense by command and control (C2) systems against a range of air and missile threats, including attacks by ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, manned and unmanned aircraft, short-range rockets, artillery, and mortar. The IAMD vision, however, has many unknowns. The vision has been discussed extensively within the U.S. Forces, while the IAMD equipment system being developed by the U.S. Forces has made whirlwind progress. Moving forward with IAMD requires not only the integration of U.S. Force capabilities but also working with U.S. allies and partners. Japan will need to make ongoing efforts to integrate the air defense operations and ballistic missile defense of the Self-Defense Forces (SDF), while referring to the IAMD initiatives of the United States. Full text available here.