Red Sea ballistic missile attacks trigger Asian interest in defences

The use of anti-ship ballistic missiles (ASBMs) in the Red Sea has spurred interest in Asia about the systems used to shoot them down, experts and industry officials say – although China, with its huge ASBM arsenal, presents a tougher challenge.
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) media releases from Nov. 27 – the world’s first documented use of an ASBM in combat – to Feb. 20 mention a total of 48 ASBMs and 12 interceptions in the Red Sea. Those releases noted that many ASBMs fired by the Iran-aligned Yemeni Houthis posed no danger and were not engaged.
On the sidelines of the Singapore Airshow this week, a senior executive at a U.S. defence contractor said the air defence activity in the Red Sea and in Ukraine had caught the attention of potential customers in Asia.
“What we’re seeing is demand increase for integrated air and missile defence here,” said the executive. He said that included sensors to detect targets, the weapons to shoot them down and the command-and-control systems tying it all together.