Key Takeaway: A JASDF F-2B test jet photographed on 30 July 2026 carried two large, gray, low-observable cruise missiles that closely resemble an air-launched derivative of Japan's Upgraded Type 12/Type 25 (25SSM). The weapons appear optimized for long-endurance subsonic flight with stealth shaping and GPS/INS plus radar terminal guidance. While the Defense Ministry intends to field ship- and air-launched 25SSM variants by fiscal 2027, the missiles' exact designation and performance remain unconfirmed.
Japanese F-2 Test Jet Spotted Carrying Large Low-Observable Cruise Missiles — Likely Air-Launched Type 25
A pair of previously unseen missiles slung beneath the wings of a Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) Mitsubishi F-2 fighter underscores the progress Tokyo is making on expanding its long-range strike arsenal. While the weapon has not been officially identified, its size, configuration, and timing strongly suggest it could be the air-launched version of Japan's new Type 25 Surface-to-Ship Missile (25SSM).
Images from a 30 July 2026 test sortie at Gifu Air Base show a Mitsubishi F-2B of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) carrying two previously unseen, large, low-observable cruise missiles on its inboard wing pylons. The sighting, captured by multiple photographers and shared on social media, underscores Tokyo's push to expand long-range, platform-flexible strike options.
A Mitsubishi F-2 carrying ASM-2 anti-ship missiles under the wings.Japan Ministry of Defense
What Was Seen
The aircraft was the two-seat F-2B serial 68-8101, operated by the JASDF Air Development and Test Wing (ADTW); an F-2A prototype reportedly served as the chase plane. The gray-painted weapons are noticeably larger than the F-2's familiar ASM-2 and the ramjet-powered ASM-3. Each missile features a long, relatively slender fuselage, folding mid-body wings, four cruciform tailfins and a boxier cross-section with chines that resemble other low-observable designs.
A Mitsubishi F-2 launches an ASM-3 anti-ship missile.Japan Ministry of Defense
An underslung engine intake with a protective cap sits below the rear fuselage, and there is no obvious optical seeker window visible in published photos. Those features suggest the missile is a subsonic, radar-evading cruise design optimized for endurance and survivability, likely relying on GPS/INS navigation with a radar seeker for terminal guidance.
The legacy Type 12 anti-ship missile, as used by the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force.Japan Ministry of Defense
Likely Identity and Context
Observers noted strong visual and configuration similarities with Japan's Upgraded Type 12 family, which the Ministry of Defense redesignated the Type 25 Surface-to-Ship Guided Missile (25SSM) when it entered service in fiscal year 2025. Published reporting places the upgraded family's range at up to roughly 1,000 kilometers (about 620 miles), a substantial increase over the original Type 12 (circa 200 km) and the F-2's ASM-2 (around 180 km).
A Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) Type 25 Surface-to-Ship Guided Missile during a live-fire exercise at the East Fuji Maneuver Area in June 2026, in Gotemba, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan.Photo by Tomohiro Ohsumi/Getty ImagesTomohiro Ohsumi
The Defense Ministry has said it plans ship- and air-launched 25SSM variants for JMSDF destroyers and JASDF fighters in fiscal 2027. The missiles observed on the F-2 therefore plausibly represent an air-launched derivative of the 25SSM, though the formal designation has not been confirmed; some commentators have suggested the name "ASM-4," but that is unverified.
Broader Programmes And Strategic Implications
Japan is concurrently testing several new strike weapons: an improved ASM-3 high-speed anti-ship missile (ASM-3 Kai), and a separate "New Surface-to-Ship Missile" powered by a turbofan that has demonstrated complex terminal maneuvers designed to defeat defenses. The JMSDF also recently launched a U.S.-made Tomahawk cruise missile from the destroyer Chokai, and Japan has acquired the stealthy Joint Strike Missile (JSM) for F-35As and cleared potential JASSM purchases.
If an air-launched Type 25 is confirmed, it would add a long-range, low-observable cruise-missile option to Japan's layered counterstrike posture. That capability is being driven by regional security concerns — notably China's expanding power projection and long-range precision assets as well as North Korean missile and nuclear developments — which have prompted Tokyo to extend the reach at which it can hold maritime and land targets at risk.
What Remains Unknown
Key details remain unconfirmed: the weapons' formal designation, propulsion specifics, exact range and seeker configuration have not been officially released. The appearance of large low-observable missiles on an ADTW test jet is, however, a clear sign that Japan is actively testing air-launched long-range strike options.
Photo and Source Notes: Published photos and social-media posts from 30 July 2026 captured the Gifu sortie. Official Ministry of Defense imagery of the Type 25 (Upgraded Type 12), ASM-2 and ASM-3 are referenced for comparison.
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