Now this would be quite interesting if the Japanese do decide to intercept North Korea’s Taepodong-2 missile if they decide to test it:

Japan’s decision to consider using its missile defense system to intercept North Korean ballistic missiles is apparently not a new development.

Speaking to reporters after a Friday Diet meeting, Japanese Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada said Tokyo is prepared to use its missile defense capabilities to combat a possible North Korean missile launch.

Under Japan’s missile defense system, if the North launches a missile in Japan’s direction, Tokyo will first attempt to intercept using artillery from its Aegis-class destroyers. If this fails, it will resort to ground-based Patriot missiles.  [KBS Global]

The Japanese AEGIS destroyers are equipped with SM-3 missiles which are the same hi-tech ballistic missile defense weapon currently fielded in US AEGIS destroyers:

The United States Navy and the
Missile Defense Agency are developing Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) as part of the Aegis Ballistic
Missile Defense System that will provide allied forces and U.S. protection from short to intermediate range ballistic missiles. The SM-3 Kinetic Warhead (KW) is designed to intercept an incoming ballistic missile outside the earth’s atmosphere. Lockheed Martin Maritime Systems and Sensors develops the Aegis BMD Weapon System. The SM-3 is under development by Raytheon at its Missile Systems business unit in Tucson, Arizona.

Aegis BMD has worked closely with Japan since 1999 to design and develop advanced components for the SM-3 missile.  [Global Security]

The Japanese just last year shot down a test missile in outer space with one of their SM-3 missiles.  Readers may also remember that last year that the US Navy intercepted and destroyed a satellite in outer space with a SM-3 missile as well.

With all the speculation that the new Presidential administration will cut missile defense programs, a successful intercept by a Japanese SM-3 missile of a North Korean Taepodong-2 Could go a long ways towards making the Navy’s case that the Obama administration should keep funding going into the SM-3 program.