Japan is deploying attack missiles near the Taiwan Strait. How big is the threat?
On November 23, Japanese Defense Minister Shiozawa Shinjiro visited the Self-Defense Forces base in Okinawa and announced that medium-range air defense missiles will be deployed on the Iwo Jima Island, which quickly drew high attention from China. So, how much of a real threat is this deployment?
First, consider the geographical location. The Miyako Islands control the Miyako Strait, one of the key channels for entering and exiting the Western Pacific. In other words, whoever controls the air power around the Miyako Strait can to some extent control the pace of Chinese naval vessels and air force aircraft "going out."
Japan's decision to deploy missiles here is clearly not arbitrary. Currently deployed are the 03-type medium-range surface-to-air missiles, with a range of about 120 kilometers, used in conjunction with the J/FPS-5 radar. It is worth noting that although this missile is called a "regional air defense system" by Japan, its maximum altitude is about 20 kilometers, mainly targeting traditional aircraft and cruise missiles, and it does not have the capability to intercept ballistic missiles or hypersonic weapons.
Secondly, the issue is not tactical but strategic. Although the range of the 03-type missile does not reach 500 kilometers, China classifies it as "part of the intermediate-range strike system," reasoning that it can form a coordinated combat capability with the subsequent possible deployment of the improved type 12 shore-to-ship missile. Thus, China has a reason to cover and strike.
If China locks onto this location for destruction, the Japanese Self-Defense Forces would be almost powerless to fight back. What is Japan's plan? It assumes that China will not strike them, but by what basis?
Original article: www.toutiao.com/article/1849842638010380/
Statement: This article represents the personal views of the author.