The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) has announced that it will conduct trial operations of unmanned aircraft from next fiscal year in order to verify whether it is possible to replace missions such as warning and surveillance performed by manned aircraft with unmanned aircraft.
The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) is testing a large unmanned aerial vehicle, the Sea Guardian, which is operated from the ground.
In the next fiscal year, we will lease one aircraft from an American defense company and verify whether we can replace missions such as warning and surveillance performed by manned aircraft.
The Sea Guardian has been operating one aircraft based at Hachinohe Air Base in Aomori Prefecture since October this year by the Japan Coast Guard.
In the trial operation of the Maritime Self-Defense Force, although it is based at Hachinohe Air Base, it is said that it will use operation equipment different from that of the Japan Coast Guard.
At a press conference on the 6th, Chief of Staff Ryo Sakai, the top of the Maritime Self-Defense Force, revealed that he had inspected the navigation equipment of the Japan Coast Guard last week and said, "We will strive to strengthen cooperation with the Japan Coast Guard." .
In the Sea Guardian test operation, the Maritime Self-Defense Force will share operational issues of the aircraft with the Japan Coast Guard, but will not share information such as image data, and will introduce the aircraft after conducting various verifications. I am considering whether.