Honestly, I think we're at the point where Kawasaki is doing its level best to go after Yamaha in its quest to be the weirdest company on the planet. I say that as Yamaha, of course, has its powersports segment on lock. But it also makes things like pianos and cellos. There are also things like Yamaha's outboard motors, archery stuff (formerly), guitars, digital recording equipment and players, communications, home decor and utilities, and like a hundred other things.
Yamaha's audio folks even helped Lexus develop the LFA supercar's exhaust note.
But lately, Kawasaki seems to be going on a number of sidequests that are so random, you'd think the Dungeon Master controlling the company had just dropped acid. There's stuff like the H2-powered plane and VTOL helicopter, the supercharged side-by-side, all the normal stuff like the brand's motorcycles and ATVs and jet skis, and also a robot horse. Yet, the one that had me scratching my head was this next story, in which a report from Reuters states Kawasaki is looking to get a military contract with Germany to build a missile.
And yes, you read that right. I'll leave the World War II jokes at the door.
According to Reuters, "Japan's Kawasaki Heavy Industries is in talks to co-develop new engines for Germany's Taurus cruise missiles, two sources familiar with the matter said, another potentially significant step in Tokyo's retreat from decades of pacifism. The Japanese contractor signed a memorandum of understanding on the project on the sidelines of a defence show in Tokyo in May, said the sources, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the issue."
Kawasaki, however, declined to comment.
Now, I'm sure you'll all know that Japan has long held a more nuanced view of arms exports and arms in general thanks to its involvement in World War II. The government took, as reported by Reuters, a "pacifist" approach to the world, instead relying on trade agreements and business dealings to serve the country's security needs. Likewise, the United States has long been a steadfast ally to the country, being part of its military command since the end of the war, and operating a number of bases on the island nation.
However, in recent years, global ties have been weakened throughout the world. Conflicts have become more common, with major powers pushing one side or the other. Taiwan and China have become a cold war in itself, while Russia has been unsuccessfully attempting to seize parts of Europe through Ukraine. And America, well, we're not exactly great allies at the moment, with tariffs and chaotic trade negotiations that basically come from a toddler. The world at large, however, can't wait for everyone else to get their shit together. Which is likely why we've seen more defense spending from countries like Japan.
Reuters added, "The German government plans to seek parliamentary approval by the end of the year for defence projects including the modernisation of Taurus missiles, Reuters reported last month.
Germany's military plans to purchase some 600 of the new missiles, called Taurus NEO, with deliveries expected to begin in 2029, according to media reports. Spain and South Korea also use Taurus missiles.
It is unclear whether the tie-up with Kawasaki relates to the new model, but one of the sources said the Japanese firm had been sought out due to its abilities to build a lighter and more efficient engine."
Whether we see a Kawasaki-branded missile engine or not is anyone's guess. But the fact we're even talking about it isn't just wild, but also pretty cool. As with any big company, they all tend to try and find other uses for the technology they develop to amortize the cost. Maybe that means a jet-engined powered Ninja!
