Profile
- Origin
- Japan
- Built by
- Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
- Type
- Japanese air-to-ship missile
- Service note
- 2020s-present
- Unit cost
- Not publicly documented
Munitions
ASM-3A
Also known as
- Air-to-Ship Missile ASM-3A
- ASM-3A (Air to Surface Missile)
- Extended-range ASM-3
- ASM-3A (provisional name)
- 射程延伸型ASM-3
- ＡＳＭ－３Ａ
ASM-3A is Japan's extended-range, supersonic ASM-3 air-to-ship missile for the Japan Air Self-Defense Force's F-2 fleet. Japanese Ministry of Defense selection material describes it as a production missile reflecting interim results from the ASM-3 Kai/Advanced development program, and FY2023-FY2024 budget material funded ASM-3A for F-2 and F-2UG aircraft.
Profile / Specs
Specifications
- Role
- Supersonic air-to-ship missile; Janes reports ship and ground-target attack capability
- Carrier aircraft
- F-2 / F-2UG
- Length
- 6 m
- Weight
- 940 kg
- Wingspan
- 35 cm
- Range
- About 300-400 km
- Speed
- Supersonic; about Mach 3 reported
Development And Designation
Japanese Ministry of Defense selection material identifies ASM-3A as the extended-range ASM-3 and says the production missile incorporates interim results from the ASM-3 Kai development effort. ATLA's DSEI Japan 2025 equipment guide presents the same development lane in English as ASM-3 Advanced, with ASM-3A reflecting interim achievements while the longer-range program continues.
Baseline family
ASM-3 is the supersonic air-to-ship missile family developed for stand-off attacks against naval vessels and related threats.
ASM-3A role
ASM-3A is the fielded extended-range production step for F-2 and F-2UG aircraft, rather than a separate combat-use record.
Follow-on program
ASM-3 Kai / ASM-3 Advanced remains the longer-range development follow-on identified in official and specialist reporting.
Variants
ASM-3A sits between the baseline ASM-3 and the longer-range ASM-3 Kai / ASM-3 Advanced development program.
| Variant | Configuration | Designation notes |
|---|---|---|
| ASM-3 | Baseline supersonic air-launched anti-ship missile | Janes reports the baseline ASM-3 at about 200 km range, while Japanese Ministry of Defense material identifies ASM-3A as the extended-range ASM-3. Sources: Janes DSEI Japan 2025 ASM-3A, New Critical Equipment Selection Results 2020 |
| ASM-3 Kai / ASM-3 Advanced | Longer-range development follow-on | MOD and ATLA material describe ASM-3A as reflecting interim results from the ASM-3 Kai / Advanced program, which continues separately. Sources: New Critical Equipment Selection Results 2020, Defense Equipment of Japan DSEI Japan 2025 |
Carrier Aircraft
Japanese defense budget and JASDF overview material identify the F-2 family as the carrier for ASM-3A.
| Carrier | Carrier type | Carriage evidence |
|---|---|---|
 | Fighter aircraft | The Ministry of Defense lists ASM-3A as an air-to-ship missile to be equipped on the F-2 and later F-2UG, and JASDF overview material shows ASM-3A with the F-2. Sources: Defense Programs and Budget of Japan 2023, Progress and Budget in Fundamental Reinforcement of Defense Capabilities 2024, JASDF Overview 2024 |
Timeline
ASM-3A Key Events
ASM-3A selected for acquisition
Japan's Ministry of Defense selected ASM-3A acquisition for inclusion in the FY2021 draft budget, describing it as an extended-range ASM-3 using interim ASM-3 Kai development results.
Sources: New Critical Equipment Selection Results 2020
FY2023 procurement funding
Japan's FY2023 defense budget listed ¥11.2 billion for ASM-3A as an air-to-ship missile for the F-2.
Sources: Defense Programs and Budget of Japan 2023
FY2024 F-2UG funding
Japan's FY2024 budget overview listed ¥11.8 billion for ASM-3A as an air-to-ship missile to equip the F-2UG.
Sources: Progress and Budget in Fundamental Reinforcement of Defense Capabilities 2024
2025 delivery reported
Janes reported from DSEI Japan 2025 that MHI would deliver ASM-3A missiles to the JASDF by the end of 2025 for F-2 deployment.
Sources: Janes DSEI Japan 2025 ASM-3A
Related Weapon Systems
Sources
New Critical Equipment Selection Results 2020Publisher: Ministry of Defense, Japan | Note: Supports ASM-3A as the extended-range ASM-3, its FY2021 acquisition selection, and its relationship to the continuing ASM-3 Kai development program. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Defense Equipment of Japan DSEI Japan 2025Publisher: Acquisition, Technology & Logistics Agency | Note: Supports ASM-3A as reflecting interim ASM-3 Advanced development achievements and describes the ASM-3 family mission context. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Defense Programs and Budget of Japan 2023Publisher: Ministry of Defense, Japan | Note: Supports ASM-3A as an air-to-ship missile to be equipped on the F-2 and the 2023 budget context. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Progress and Budget in Fundamental Reinforcement of Defense Capabilities 2024Publisher: Ministry of Defense, Japan | Note: Supports FY2024 ASM-3A procurement funding and identifies F-2UG as the aircraft to be equipped. | Accessed: 2026-07-01JASDF Overview 2024Publisher: Japan Air Self-Defense Force | Note: Supports ASM-3A being shown as an air-to-ship missile associated with the F-2 in the public JASDF overview. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Janes DSEI Japan 2025 ASM-3APublisher: Janes | Note: Supports the ASM-3A manufacturer context, physical dimensions, weight, reported 300-400 km range, F-2 deployment, and ASM-3 family variant distinctions. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Naval News ASM-3A Fielding Report 2020Publisher: Naval News | Note: Supports secondary context for ASM-3A as an interim extended-range production step alongside continued ASM-3 Kai development. | Accessed: 2026-07-01JASDF F-2 fighter firing an ASM-3Publisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Public image page for the primary image; Commons lists ATLA as the source and Government of Japan terms compatible with CC BY 4.0. | Accessed: 2026-07-01MHI ASM-3 missilePublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Public image page used in the gallery; Commons lists Japanese MOD source material and Government of Japan terms compatible with CC BY 4.0. | Accessed: 2026-07-01JASDF F-2 carries XASM-3 at Gifu air base 2017Publisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Public image page used in the gallery; the image is licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 and shows F-2 carriage of XASM-3. | Accessed: 2026-07-01