On the surface, <\/span>The procurement mentions indigenous development, so it would seem to , which<\/span> automatically <\/span>favors<\/span> an superficially <\/span>easy upgrade of the SH-60K produced by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) with more advanced electronics, unless the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) is looking for a longer-term, and <\/span>more advanced solution, said suggested <\/span>Matthew Caris, an associate at Avascent Group, a Washington- D.C.- <\/span>based defense and aerospace consulting group.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “It seems like an odd time and a small amount of money to develop something truly new; perhaps it’s the development of a new MHI H-60 variant with entirely indigenous electronics, which would make a lot more sense,” he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A US-based source speaking on condition of anonymity <\/span>agreed the SH-60K provided a ready-made and available <\/span>upgrade and was a logical move.that made the most sense.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n “The airframe itself is capable and already integrated into JMSDF operations, so a focus on improvements to mission system sensor and processing capability would likely be sufficient to most economically meet future helicopter ASW requirements,” the source said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But pressures are building that suggest the MoD may expand its search, analysts said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The First, the <\/span>JMSDF is aware that it badly needs to update its capabilities against the emerging threat of more advanced Chinese PLAN <\/span>submarines in shallow waters, local defense analyst Shinichi Kiyotani said, and Second, <\/span>at least some officers in the JMSDF are looking for something much better than the SH-60 platform, which has several well-known and <\/span>disliked but not openly publicized inadequacies, Kiyotani said<\/span>. local defense analyst Shinichi Kiyotani.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n “The MSDF internally thinks that the SH-60 series is not so good technically any more. It’s seen as slow and it suffers from vibration issues, which is a critical point if the MSDF wants more advanced ASW capabilities, and there are other issues,” Kiyotani said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “The impetus for this,” Caris said, “is likely twofold: One, the increased aggressiveness and continued growth in the PLAN [Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy] sub fleet, [which the US Navy just announced is now bigger than the US sub fleet]; and two, the recognition that while the SH-60J\/K is still in production, it is no longer state-of-the-art.” Caris said.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Designed for a deep-water Soviet threat, with <\/span>the SH-60J is essentially basically <\/span>a licensed-built 1980s-era SH-60B Seahawk. Its HQS-103 dipping sonar is at least a generation behind state-of-the art systems for detection of threats in littoral waters, Caris said. And while <\/span>its electronically scanned radar lacks modern processing capabilities such as found on like <\/span>the MH-60R’s automatic radar periscope detection and discrimination system, (ARPDD) <\/span>which is a key part of the US Navy’s littoral ASW capability, he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/636043819865011568-police-shot-baton-rou-opri-2-jpg.jpg\")