This month, Naval News reported that Japan’s Ministry of Defense (MoD), through its Acquisition, Technology & Logistics Agency (ATLA), announced the country’s first successful live firing of a ship-mounted electromagnetic railgun against a target vessel at sea, representing a potential significant turning point in Tokyo’s advanced weapons development.
The test aboard the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force’s (JMSDF) test ship Asuka involved long-range firings and precision targeting, with ATLA releasing visual documentation via its official social media platforms. The railgun, which uses electrical energy to launch hypervelocity projectiles—reaching speeds of nearly Mach 7—was developed to counter emerging hypersonic threats from China, North Korea and Russia.
