Japan’s Defense Ministry has confirmed the first successful firing of a ship-mounted electromagnetic railgun at a target vessel, a world-first milestone in naval weapons development.
The Acquisition, Technology & Logistics Agency (ATLA) announced that the trials took place between June and early July aboard the test ship JS Asuka, with support from the Maritime Self-Defense Force.
Photos released by ATLA showed the weapon firing and a tugboat fitted with target boards.
#ATLA conducted the Ship-board #Railgun Shooting Test from June to early July this year with the support of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force. It’s the first time that a ship-mounted railgun was successfully fired at a real ship.#Ground_Systems_Research_Center #JMSDF #Asuka pic.twitter.com/XuULOOTBgO
— Acquisition Technology & Logistics Agency (@atla_kouhou_en) September 10, 2025
“It’s the first time that a ship-mounted railgun was successfully fired at a real ship,” ATLA wrote on X.
Japan has been developing railgun technology since 2016 as an air defense system to protect its warships and counter hypersonic cruise missiles.
The prototype, first demonstrated at sea in 2023, uses electric pulses to accelerate projectiles beyond 2,500 meters per second, significantly faster than conventional naval guns. Unlike missile interceptors or explosive shells, the railgun relies on kinetic energy, offering adjustable power, lower cost per shot, and greater difficulty of interception.
Japan aims to have a small-caliber ship-based railgun prototype for anti-ship use by 2027, and a medium-caliber air-defense version for ships, ground units, or vehicles by 2028, according to Army Recognition.
