The Defense Ministry has scrapped a plan to obtain U.S.-made long-range anti-ship missiles with standoff capabilities for the Air Self-Defense Force's F15 fighter jets due to ballooning costs.
The acquisition of the Lockheed Martin missiles, known as LRASM, was aimed at arming the ASDF with anti-ship missiles that could be launched by planes without them being exposed to enemy counter fire.
The decision to scrap the plan was made Thursday before the deadline later this month of initial requests for a state budget for the next fiscal year from April 2022.