Chapter Six: Asia

Abstract

Regional navies (Japan, South Korea, Australia) continue to develop or renew their ability to generate task-group-centred capabilities for enhanced bluewater operations. Japan’s new defence programme guidelines were expected to reinforce ‘cross-domain‘ capabilities. Japan is buying Aegis Ashore and looking into converting its Izumo-class vessels to carry the F-35B. Vietnam, meanwhile, continues to modernise its air and naval capabilities to complicate the deployment options of potential adversaries in the country’s maritime littoral. Some of Asia’s top defence spenders drove the regional increase in military expenditure. However, the detailed picture showed some contrasts as defence spending stagnated in Southeast Asia.