# Japan and US agree to build an AMRAAM missile assembly plant in Asia

*The bilateral deal links Japanese production lines to Pentagon replenishment plans as RTX works toward an annual output target of 1,900 air-to-air missiles.*

**Published:** October 31, 2026  
**By:** Mina Okoro  
**Section:** Analysis & Comparison — Cross-border  
**Format:** Breaking  
**Confidence:** high  
**Source:** https://eastasiabrief.com/analysis/japan-us-agree-build-amraam-missile-assembly-plant-asia-1034  
**Publisher:** East Asia Brief (https://eastasiabrief.com/)

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## What to know

- Assembly facility supports RTX target to produce 1,900 AMRAAM missiles annually
- Mitsubishi Electric expands work from circuit cards to complete missile assembly
- Technical working groups convene in Tokyo in January 2027 to set plant terms

![A technician installs electronic components into a missile body along an assembly line inside a manufacturing facility. (AI-generated image)](https://eastasiabrief.com/media/2026-10-31-75e5c86c1dd7.webp)
*A technician installs electronic components into a missile body along an assembly line inside a manufacturing facility. (AI-generated image)*

Japan and the United States concluded an agreement on Oct. 30, 2026, to establish a final assembly and check-out facility in Japan for the AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile.

The facility marks the first overseas assembly plant for the radar-guided weapon. The missile serves as the primary beyond-visual-range armament for land- and carrier-based F-35 fighter squadrons deployed across the Indo-Pacific.

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Cite as: East Asia Brief, "Japan and US agree to build an AMRAAM missile assembly plant in Asia," October 31, 2026. https://eastasiabrief.com/analysis/japan-us-agree-build-amraam-missile-assembly-plant-asia-1034