Japan Receives SPY7 Radar Antennas Delivering Enhanced Missile Tracking for Future Aegis Vessels.

According to information published by Lockheed Martin on July 7, 2025, the U.S. company has completed the delivery of four AN/SPY-7(V)1 radar antennas to Japan’s Ministry of Defense (JMOD). These antennas, intended for Japan’s future Aegis System Equipped Vessels (ASEV), were delivered via Mitsubishi Corporation under a Direct Commercial Sale arrangement, following a series of rigorous acceptance tests conducted in the United States. The delivery marks a critical step in the ASEV program, though the radar components are not yet installed on the ships, which remain under construction.
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The Aegis destroyer JS Myoko (DDG-175) of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, a technological precursor to the future ASEV vessels equipped with the SPY-7 radar (Picture source: Japan MoD)

The AN/SPY-7(V)1 radar is part of Lockheed Martin’s modular, solid-state radar family. The antennas delivered will be integrated into the first of two ASEVs that Japan plans to commission in fiscal years 2027 and 2028. Lockheed Martin confirmed that full integration and testing of the antennas will continue throughout 2025 at its facility in Moorestown, New Jersey, in order to reduce technical risks and ensure readiness before the full radar systems are shipped for final installation in Japan.

The SPY-7 radar represents the latest generation of software-defined digital radar technology, with performance three times greater than legacy systems. Its architecture is based on the Subarray Suite (SAS), in which each unit functions as a self-contained radar module. These modules can be flexibly combined to meet different operational needs, and the system’s software-defined nature ensures future adaptability. SPY-7 is also the only radar in its class to feature polarization diversity, a technique adapted from weather radar systems that improves target discrimination by managing electromagnetic wave orientation. This enhances the radar’s ability to detect, track, and engage multiple advanced threats simultaneously.

Japan’s ASEV program is a key part of its naval modernization strategy, replacing the cancelled Aegis Ashore project. Outlined in the Defense White Paper of July 12, 2024, the program includes the construction of two 190-meter-long ships with a displacement of 12,000 tons, significantly larger than the 8,200-ton Maya-class destroyers currently in service. The ships will be equipped with the AEGIS J7.B combat management system and SPY-7 radar, and will carry 128 Mk.. 41 vertical launch system cells capable of firing SM-3 Block IIIA, SM-6, and eventually Tomahawk missiles. The vessels will also feature Cooperative Engagement Capability (CEC) sensors and domestically produced SSM-12 anti-ship missiles. A vertically launched version of the SSM-12 is under consideration to reduce radar signature. The ships incorporate radar signature reduction techniques already used on the Mogami-class frigates.

The Japanese Ministry of Defense has allocated approximately USD 2.3 billion for the completion of the project and the construction of the two ASEVs, with an additional USD 504 million dedicated to testing and evaluation. The first ship is scheduled to be commissioned in 2028. The ASEV program is part of a broader naval modernization effort that also includes the 13DDX destroyers, upgraded Mogami-class frigates, and Taigei-class submarines equipped with lithium-ion batteries, all of which contribute to enhanced maritime and ballistic missile defense capabilities.

Beyond Japan, the SPY-7 radar has also been selected by other allied nations, including Canada for its River-class destroyers and Spain for its F-110 frigates. In the United States, land-based variants such as the AN/TPY-6 and AN/FPY-X (LRDR) are part of national missile defense. In December 2025, the TPY-6 radar successfully intercepted a mid-range ballistic missile using an SM-3 Block IIA during a live-fire test. To support local production and long-term sustainment, Lockheed Martin has partnered with Japanese firms Fujitsu and NEC, reinforcing Japan’s strategic autonomy and industrial resilience. The global adoption of SPY-7 confirms its position as a scalable radar system suitable for evolving multi-domain threat environments.

While the radar antennas have now been delivered, the full radar systems will be integrated into the ASEV platforms in line with the shipbuilding schedule. The next stages of the program will focus on completing radar integration, preparing for operational testing, and achieving full operational capability for both ships by the end of the decade.