Japan begins flight testing air-launched upgraded Type 12 missile

Japan has begun flight testing mock-ups of the air-launched variant of its upgraded Type 12 surface-to-ship missile as part of the country's effort to develop longer-range standoff strike capabilities. The captive-carry tests, conducted with a JASDF Mitsubishi F-2B, provide the first visual confirmation of the air-launched variant's external design. The mock-ups lack several features associated with operational prototypes, indicating that the program remains in an early flight-test phase rather than operational weapons trials.