Japan’s New Anti-Ship Missile Uses Barrel Rolls To Dodge Enemy Defenses

Japanese engineers have unveiled a next-generation cruise missile with a unique defensive trick: the ability to perform spiraling barrel rolls in its final attack run to evade enemy fire. This “New SSM” missile, under development by Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI) for Japan’s Ministry of Defense, is designed to penetrate advanced ship defenses with a combination of stealth, long range, and this acrobatic terminal maneuver, specifically targeting close-in weapon systems like those fielded by China.

The dramatic footage, released by the Ministry of Defense’s Acquisition Technology & Logistics Agency (ATLA), shows a prototype missile executing the rolling maneuver during a test. While the clip was first shown to attendees at ATLA’s annual symposium last year, its public release underscores the progress Japan is making on a weapon system central to its regional deterrence strategy. The development, which began in 2023, is a direct response to growing maritime threats, particularly from an increasingly assertive China.

The missile, currently referred to as the “island defense missile,” is subsonic but built for endurance and survivability. It’s powered by a single XKJ301-1 turbofan engine, a derivative of KHI’s fuel-efficient KJ300 design, which promises significant range. While Japanese authorities haven’t specified an exact figure, they confirm it will exceed the reach of the current Type 12 anti-ship cruise missile. The baseline Type 12 has a range of about 124 miles, with an upgraded variant pushing to over 560 miles. The New SSM is expected to go even further, potentially well over 620 miles, according to ATLA documentation.

This extended reach is only part of the story. The missile incorporates several stealth features, including a chined nose, serrated edges, and an S-shaped air intake to reduce its radar signature. Its pop-out main wings and tail stabilizers give it a distinctive profile. Perhaps most innovatively, its guidance suite is designed for maximum lethality in cluttered coastal environments. It uses GPS-assisted inertial navigation to reach the target area, where a dual-mode seeker—combining imaging infrared (IIR) and radio frequency (RF) homing—takes over for the final strike. This makes it highly resistant to jamming and excellent at discriminating targets.

The barrel-roll maneuver is the pièce de résistance for defeating last-ditch defenses. As depicted in Japanese government graphics, the spiral is intended to complicate targeting for rapid-fire naval guns like China’s Type 730 and Type 1130 close-in weapon systems (CIWS). By constantly altering its lateral position and aspect while diving toward the target, the missile presents a vastly more difficult problem for gun-laying radars and predictive algorithms. While it’s unclear how much real-world data validates this specific tactic, the principle of high-G terminal evasion is well-established in modern anti-ship missile design, employed by weapons like Norway’s Naval Strike Missile (NSM).

Beyond its anti-ship role, the New SSM is conceived as a modular “platform.” ATLA has showcased concepts where interchangeable nose sections could convert the missile into a land-attack weapon, a decoy, or even a loitering surveillance drone capable of striking targets of opportunity. This flexibility blurs the line between cruise missile and unmanned combat aerial vehicle, aligning with global trends toward multi-role, networked munitions.

The strategic implications are profound for Japan. With a range exceeding 620 miles and launch capability from ground vehicles, ships, and aircraft like the F-2 fighter and P-1 patrol plane, the New SSM could be deployed from the contested southwestern islands. From a location like Yonaguni island—just 70 miles from Taiwan—such missiles could hold a wide swath of the East China Sea and key approaches at risk. This aligns with Japan’s hardening stance on regional security and its explicit concerns over a potential Chinese intervention against Taiwan.

Japanese authorities have pointed to 2027 as the target for beginning mass production and deployment. As the test footage confirms, development is advancing rapidly. The rolling “island defense missile” embodies Japan’s determined shift from a purely defensive posture to one of integrated deterrence, leveraging cutting-edge technology to counter the sophisticated anti-access threats looming in its waters.