MRTT, Aegis Destroyer In Japan’s $40 Billion Defense Budget For 2016

Japanese ministry of defense (MoD) plans to spend more than 5 trillion yen ($40.3 billion) for fiscal 2016 to buy new airborne refueling aircraft and continue building an Aegis destroyer.

The MoD will send the request by the end of August after which the government will debate on the overall budget.

The ministry plans to buy tanker aircraft are included in the 2014-2018 Mid-Term Defense Program. The defense ministry has to choose either Boeing KC-46A or Airbus A330 MRTT by year end.

Apart from buying the aircraft the defense ministry plans to build an Aegis destroyer equipped with the latest ballistic missile defense system. The ministry intends to share location data of enemy missiles with other Aegis vessels and airborne early warning aircraft.

The defense spending is seen reaching a record 5 trillion yen in the current fiscal year. The defense ministry has requested 5.05 trillion yen last August.