Japan responds to China with unprecedented number of F-2 Fighters with anti-ship missiles

In December 2025, Japan reacted in an uncommon fashion to tasks carried out by Chinese Navy vessels in waters near Japan: JASDF F-2 boxers were observed with a consolidated overall of 64 anti-ship projectiles …

On 9 December 2025, at Tsuiki Air Base of the Japan Air Protection Pressure (JASDF), a minimum of 16 F-2 boxer airplane were observed carrying out training trips with each jet lugging 4 ASM-2 air-to-ship projectiles (Kind 93 Air-to-Ship Guided Projectile) placed under their major wings. The ASM-2 is an indigenously created Japanese anti-ship projectile with a variety going beyond 140 kilometres. It utilizes an imaging infrared (IIR) candidate and is outfitted with infrared counter-countermeasures (IRCCM) along with target discrimination abilities.

At JASDF Tsuiki Air Base, situated in Fukuoka Prefecture in Kyushu, southwestern Japan, 2 Tactical Boxer Squadrons– the sixth and 8th Armadas– are released, both running the F-2 boxer. Each armada contains an overall of twenty airplane: eighteen single-seat F-2As and 2 dual-seat F-2Bs.

It is extremely uncommon to see this several F-2s show up with a complete loadout of ASM-2s, making the scenario exceptionally unique. It is most likely planned as a deterrent feedback to individuals’s Freedom Military Navy (STRATEGY)’s warship Liaoning, which has actually run neighboring Kyushu. After transiting the Miyako Strait in between Okinawa Key Island and Miyako Island on 6 December and going into the Pacific Sea, the warship Liaoning suddenly modified training course to the northeast in waters southern of Okinawa Key Island. On 7 December, it proceeded its breakthrough right into waters southern of Kyushu.

Throughout this duration, J-15 carrier-borne fighter jet operating from Liaoning illuminated JASDF F-15 fighter jets with radar, to name a few activities, bring about increased stress in between the Chinese armed force and the Japan Protection Forces.

Immediate Requirement to Reinforce Protective Abilities in the Pacific Cinema

The Japanese federal government has just recently tipped up its watchfulness in feedback to tasks by strategy job pressures fixated attack aircraft carrier. In June this year, 2 Chinese attack aircraft carrier– Liaoning and Shandong– were concurrently released in the Pacific, where they carried out an opposing-force workout that apparently substitute a conflict with a united state Navy provider strike team. Versus this background, Liaoning’s succeeding procedures in waters near Japan are thought about by Japan’s Ministry of Protection to have actually comprised a severe growth.

Additionally, ought to the strategy’s 3rd warship, Fujian, totally get in functional fleet solution in the future, it is possible that Chinese attack aircraft carrier might be operating a constant basis in the East China Sea and the Pacific Sea.

In feedback to these growths, the Japan Protection Forces– having actually formerly concentrated on enhancing their protective stance in the Southwestern Islands, consisting of Okinawa, and in the East China Sea– are currently quickly strengthening their protection stance in the Pacific instructions, which has actually previously been considered as a family member “protection void.” For instance, on Kita-Daito Island, situated southwest of Okinawa Key Island, strategies are underway to release a mobile air-surveillance radar system. Japan’s FY2026 protection spending plan demand consists of about ¥ 16 billion( ＄ 102 million) for the building and construction of centers to sustain this implementation.

Additionally, Japan is waging a strategy to change both Izumo-class destroyers– the biggest surface area fighters in the Japan Maritime Protection Pressure (JMSDF)– to give them with the ability to run the F-35B. This effort was initially introduced around 2018 in feedback to the Chinese armed force’s H-6K bombing planes starting, from around 2017, to transportation the Bashi Network in between Taiwan and the Philippines and breakthrough right into the Pacific. Nevertheless, the program has actually because handled an added duty as a procedure to respond to the strategy’s warship pressures.

In the Pacific movie theater, Iwo Jima is presently the only island with a path efficient in sustaining the procedure of JASDF boxer airplane. The adjustment of the Izumo-class was for that reason planned to load this functional void.

Additionally, Japan’s FY2026 protection spending plan demand consists of the facility of a brand-new Pacific Protection Idea Workplace within the Ministry of Protection. This workplace is planned to carry out committed and cross-cutting analyses of the pressure stance called for by the Protection Forces for the protection of the Pacific movie theater.

Moving forward, the Protection Forces are most likely to apply a series of procedures to respond to unavoidable hazards in the Pacific. In the close to term, procedures by Chinese marine provider air wings are anticipated to be resolved via the procedure of F-35B started the Izumo-class. Nevertheless, countless various other obstacles will certainly likewise require to be resolved.

For instance, constant surveillance of Chinese marine vessels and airplane would certainly call for radar websites efficient in covering the Pacific. Unlike the East China Sea, nonetheless, the Pacific does not include a thick chain of islands, restricting the insurance coverage possible by ground-based radar systems. In this context, broadening the fleet of E-2D air-borne very early caution airplane– which can brief departure and touchdown and currently have a well established functional performance history within the JASDF– would certainly stand for one extremely sensible choice.

The message Japan responds to China with unprecedented number of F-2 Fighters with anti-ship missiles showed up initially on Naval News.