Japan is ready to ink a $1.2 billion contract with Lockheed Martin for missile defense systems

WASHINGTON — The Japanese government has officially chosen Lockheed Martin to provide the radar arrays for its forthcoming Aegis Ashore sites, the Defense Ministry announced Monday.

The news follows earlier reports that Lockheed had beaten out Raytheon for the job, which is expected to cost about $1.2 billion, according to a Reuters report. The choice was between Raytheon’s SPY-6 — the air and missile defense radar destined to be the main sensor for the U.S. Navy’s DDG Flight III — and Lockheed’s Long Range Discrimination Radar.

Lockheed’s radar is slated to be installed in Alaska as part of the Ground-based Midcourse Defense System by 2020.

Japan plans to build two Aegis Ashore stations, a response to North Korea’s rapid development of ballistic missiles.

The fact that the project is moving forward will be welcome news to the U.S. Navy, which has been vocal in recent months about the need to move some of its sea-based BMD patrols to fixed shore installations, wherever practicable, and reserve the Navy’s capabilities for times of heightened need or emergencies.

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