{"id":162676,"date":"2026-10-30T05:34:00","date_gmt":"2026-10-30T00:04:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/?p=162676"},"modified":"2026-10-30T02:01:44","modified_gmt":"2026-10-29T20:31:44","slug":"japan-to-assemble-20-7-billion-us-amraam-missiles-for-f-35","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/index.php\/2026\/10\/30\/japan-to-assemble-20-7-billion-us-amraam-missiles-for-f-35\/","title":{"rendered":"Japan to Assemble $20.7 billion US AMRAAM Missiles for Most Advanced Fighter Jet in the World"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

CEBU\u2014<\/strong> The United States<\/a> and Japan have agreed to establish a facility in Japan for the final assembly and inspection of AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAM)<\/a>, strengthening bilateral cooperation on weapons production. Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi announced the agreement on October 28, 2026, following a meeting with US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in the Philippines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The agreement comes as the Pentagon accelerates missile production under a multiyear contract with RTX<\/a>\u2019s Raytheon business worth up to US$20.7 billion<\/strong>. The seven-year contracting framework, which includes a five-year base period and two option years, aims to expand AMRAAM output and improve supplies for US forces and international partners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"AIM-120
Photo : \tJapan Air Self-Defense Force | Wikimedia Commons | https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:JASDF_equipment_F-35A_(5).jpg<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Japan AMRAAM Facility Agreement<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Koizumi described the agreement as a major step toward improving access to essential military equipment and strengthening Japan\u2019s domestic defence industry. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

He said the final assembly and inspection facility would support equipment requirements in both countries, with AMRAAM identified as an important weapon for the F-35 fighter<\/a> fleet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The agreement follows discussions that began in 2024 under the two countries\u2019 previous defence leadership. Japan and the United States had explored options for expanding missile production, including cooperation between Japanese industry and Raytheon. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The October announcement formalizes the decision to establish a facility, but it does not establish that Japan will manufacture every component of the missile domestically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Japanese government has not identified the facility\u2019s location or named a company that will operate it. Officials have also not disclosed a production schedule or the number of missiles expected to pass through the site. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

These details will determine how quickly the arrangement can contribute to the wider AMRAAM supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The project also requires safeguards for sensitive technology. AMRAAM contains classified guidance and other systems that must be protected against unauthorized access or disclosure. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Japan\u2019s postwar restrictions on arms exports and defence cooperation have also shaped the approval process for overseas weapons production, although Tokyo has gradually eased some restrictions in recent years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The US and Japan have presented the arrangement as a way to diversify production and strengthen supply security. A facility in Japan<\/a> could help support regional requirements while reducing reliance on a single manufacturing location, depending on how components, assembly work and deliveries are divided between the partners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"US
Photo: F-35 Lightning II<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

US$20.7 Billion Contract<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The facility agreement follows the Pentagon\u2019s September 2026 award to Raytheon of a multiyear AMRAAM contract valued at up to US$20.7<\/strong> billion. The contract covers five years, with two additional option years, and is designed to expand production for the US Air Force<\/a>, US Navy, and foreign military sales customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The award builds on a framework agreement announced in February 2026 that called for annual AMRAAM production to reach at least 1,900 missiles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Raytheon has said it is investing in manufacturing capacity, its workforce and suppliers to meet growing demand. The September contract announcement did not specify the total number of missiles to be delivered under the award.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Production expansion is intended to address the challenges of supplying advanced weapons to US forces and partner countries. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Demand for missiles has increased amid the need to replenish military inventories following weapons transfers to allies and the use of munitions in conflicts. Longer-term contracts can also give manufacturers and suppliers greater visibility when planning production capacity and purchasing components.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Raytheon has identified supply-chain constraints and long lead times for complex components as challenges for the AMRAAM programme. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The company has also pointed to investments in test equipment and additional manufacturing capacity. New US rocket-motor production lines are expected to come online in 2027, which could help address one part of the supply chain, although the impact will depend on the wider production process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The contract forms part of a broader Pentagon effort to move away from shorter, less predictable procurement arrangements for critical weapons. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Previous AMRAAM purchasing levels varied with budget decisions and military requirements, while the new agreement provides a longer-term framework for expanding output. The final pace of deliveries will still depend on funding, manufacturing performance and supplier capacity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Lockheed
Photo: Lockheed Martin<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

AMRAAM\u2019s Military Role<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The AIM-120 AMRAAM is a beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile used by US and allied fighter aircraft. The weapon entered service in the late 1980s and has since received successive upgrades to improve its performance against evolving threats, Air and Space Forces<\/a> reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The latest AIM-120D-series variants include updated processors and software capabilities intended to improve performance in contested electronic environments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

AMRAAM is compatible with multiple combat aircraft, including the F-16<\/a>, F-15, F\/A-18, F-22 and F-35, depending on the aircraft configuration and variant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is also used by the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS), extending its role beyond air-to-air combat to ground-based air defence. Raytheon says the missile is fielded by 44 countries and operates across 14 platforms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The planned Japanese facility is particularly relevant to the US-Japan defence partnership because both countries operate the F-35. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additional assembly and inspection capacity could support procurement planning and provide another production location for a weapon used by several allied air forces. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, the agreement alone does not establish how many missiles Japan will receive or how much output will be reserved for other customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"AIM-120
Photo: USAF<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Bottom Line<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The move also reflects wider efforts by Washington and its allies to increase domestic and regional defence-industrial capacity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Expanding production in Japan could strengthen supply resilience in the Indo-Pacific, while the larger US contract supports broader requirements across American services and international partners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Raytheon to Replenish US Missile Stocks Under $6.3 Billion Contract<\/a><\/blockquote>