Japan to launch 50 satellites starting fiscal year 2024

The report said that small optical and radar satellites would be launched starting from the 2024 fiscal year, which will last from April 1, 2024, to March 31, 2025, Sputnik reported.

The optical satellites would be able to take high-quality photos and videos of the Earth’s surface in good weather during the daytime, and the radar satellites, regardless of the time of day and weather conditions, would take radar images, the newspaper also said.

It added that the Japanese Defense Ministry was planning to create a network for detecting Russia and China-developed hypersonic weapons with planning blocks, but the first test device would be launched no earlier than 2027 because of the time-consuming manufacturing of an infrared sensor.

Earlier in November, the Japanese news agency reported that Japan was planning to downsize two destroyers equipped with the US-made Aegis ballistic missile interceptor systems to increase the operability and seamlessness of the vessels.

In August, Japan was considering equipping two new warships with the Aegis combat information and control system. The new destroyers were expected to operate in the Sea of Japan to monitor, among other things, possibly North Korean missile launches.

RHM/PR