Tokyo, Oct. 5 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s Maritime Self-Defense Force has introduced the V-BAT unmanned reconnaissance aircraft as part of a broader effort to strengthen surveillance capabilities while easing personnel requirements. The MSDF operates six V-BATs developed by U.S. defense technology company Shield AI, according to officials. The aircraft can autonomously patrol predetermined routes, collecting surveillance footage and transmitting it to a command vessel in real time. Measuring 2.9 meters long and 3.8 meters across, the V-BAT is equipped with an infrared camera in its nose and can remain continuously airborne for up to about 12 hours. A key advantage is its high operational flexibility. The aircraft can be folded and stored aboard a destroyer when not in use, then assembled by two crew members in about 10 minutes. Its ability to take off and land vertically allows it to operate from a destroyer’s deck without a runway. The deployment reflects the Defense Ministry’s push to expand the use of unmanned systems, a central element of the “new ways of warfare” outlined in Japan’s 2026 defense white paper. The ministry is accelerating the introduction of various types of unmanned aircraft in hopes of securing what it calls an “asymmetric advantage” over potential adversaries through superior cost efficiency and technological capabilities. Cost Savings The V-BAT has been deployed in the war in Ukraine. According to Shield AI’s website and other sources, Ukrainian forces had flown 130 or more sorties with the aircraft as of April 2025. The system has also been adopted by countries including Canada and India. The MSDF allocated about 4 billion yen in its fiscal 2025 budget for the acquisition of six V-BATs. In August 2026, it began operational training with the aircraft at its Ominato Air Base in Aomori Prefecture, northeastern Japan. Each V-BAT costs about 600 million yen, far less than the price tag of about 11 billion yen for the SH-60L, the MSDF’s newest patrol helicopter. “Drones allow us to conduct missions at a lower cost than helicopters. They also help ease burdens on personnel,” an MSDF member said. Efforts to introduce drones extend beyond the MSDF. In April 2026, the Ground SDF established two dedicated units: the Unmanned Defense Capability Promotion Office, responsible for research and development involving unmanned aerial vehicles and other equipment; and the Unmanned Systems Office, which oversees the procurement and maintenance of such systems. In its fiscal 2026 budget, the Defense Ministry earmarked about 100 billion yen to establish the Synchronized, Hybrid, Integrated and Enhanced Littoral Defense, or SHIELD, system by fiscal 2027. The multilayered coastal defense network will employ not only unmanned aircraft but also uncrewed surface and underwater vessels. Asymmetric Advantage The use of unmanned systems has expanded worldwide since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. The Defense Ministry’s goals of reducing personnel requirements and securing an asymmetric advantage reflect lessons drawn from this trend. Specifically, the ministry plans to combine unmanned systems with artificial intelligence to enhance their operational capabilities. By forcing adversaries to deploy large numbers of costly crewed platforms and other assets in response, Japan aims to impose substantial operational costs on them and gain an advantage through such “asymmetric warfare.” One challenge is how to respond when an aircraft encounters problems in flight. On Sept. 15, 2026, a Global Hawk–a large unmanned aircraft operated by the Air SDF–crashed off the coast of Tottori Prefecture in western Japan. The aircraft is designed to land autonomously at a designated location in an emergency, but that function apparently failed to operate properly. “This accident will serve as an important lesson,” a senior ministry official said. “Nevertheless, the shift toward unmanned aircraft is likely to continue.” END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]
