Japan's F-2 fighter spotted test-flying new large stealth cruise missile

Published Jul 30, 07:38 PM UTC

A Japan Air Self-Defense Force Mitsubishi F-2 fighter was photographed carrying a previously unseen large cruise missile under its wings during what appears to be a test flight from Gifu Air Base. The weapon, likely the air-launched variant of Japan's new Type 25 Surface-to-Ship Guided Missile (25SSM), features stealth characteristics including chines, folding wings, and cruciform tailfins. It is subsonic, radar-evading, and optimized for long-endurance flight with an estimated range of around 1,000 kilometers (620 miles). The missile represents a significant expansion of Japan's standoff strike capability, part of Tokyo's evolving 'counterstrike' posture driven by China's military expansion and North Korea's missile programs. The Japan Ministry of Defense plans to deploy ship- and air-launched variants of the 25SSM by fiscal year 2027.