The Japanese Ministry of Defense has assessed that the use of manned fighter jets has limitations in responding to the increased number of scrambles needed to counter the risk of unauthorized entry into Japanese airspace.
Of significant interest is the fact that the Ministry is contemplating using unmanned aerial vehicles to scramble for balloons as well.
As a part of their initiatives, the Self-Defense Forces aim to deploy unmanned aerial vehicles manufactured in the United States, which they plan to purchase. Initially, they will utilize these vehicles to track ships sailing offshore, with the intention of gradually increasing their capabilities to respond to fast-moving aircraft and balloons, which have recently gained attention.
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) was recently chosen by the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) to provide the MQ-9B SeaGuardian for its Medium-Altitude, Long-Endurance (MALE) RPAS Trial Operation Project. The trials are set to commence in April of this year.
The Japan Coast Guard (JCG) started operating a SeaGuardian from the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF) Air Station Hachinohe in October 2022. The MQ-9B is being used to perform Maritime Wide Area Search (MWAS) primarily over the Sea of Japan and the Pacific Ocean. The secondary missions of JCG’s Seaguardian are search and rescue, disaster response, and maritime law enforcement.
Japan has also ordered three RQ-4B unmanned air vehicles in 2018. On April 15, 2021, the maiden flight of Japan’s first RQ-4B Global Hawk took place in Palmdale, California.
For more information, hit the Source below