Lockheed Martin, in partnership with the Japan Ministry of Defense and the U.S. Missile Defense Agency, has completed the first live target tracking exercise for the Aegis System Equipped Vessel program using the AN/SPY-7(V)1 radar. The Japan Flight Test Experiment Aegis Weapon System (JFTX)-01 occurred on March 17 and 19 off the U.S. East Coast, involving two events with live targets launched for each.
The SPY-7 radar, integrated with the Aegis Weapon System in the ASEV Shipset 1 configuration, successfully detected, tracked, and performed simulated engagements on the targets. This test validated search, detection, identification, and tracking performance, generating datasets to reduce integration risks ahead of shipboard installation.
Earlier, Lockheed Martin finished initial light-off testing of all four SPY-7 antennas for Shipset 1 at its Moorestown, New Jersey Production and Test Center. The antennas were handed over to Japan in June, remaining on-site for verification. Shipset 1 will undergo additional tracking exercises before delivery to Japan next year, while Shipset 2 begins testing.
“By testing the complete SPY-7 radar system in a land-based facility, we’re able to verify the SPY-7 radar’s Ballistic Missile Defense and Integrated Air and Missile Defense capabilities meet warfighter needs ahead of shipboard installation, significantly reducing program deployment risk,” said Chandra Marshall, vice president and general manager at Lockheed Martin. The SPY-7 derives technology from the Long Range Discrimination Radar deployed in Alaska.
This milestone under a Foreign Military Sales arrangement advances Japan’s missile defense against regional threats, building on prior successes like the land-based TPY-6 radar intercept in December 2024 and Aegis at-sea tests.