Major Japan defence firms stepping up drone development
TOKYO: Major Japanese defence companies such as Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. are stepping up their development of drones as the government seeks to make unmanned systems and artificial intelligence a central part of its new defence strategy, Kyodo News reported.
Japanese defence corporations are accelerating drone technology development as the government aims to integrate unmanned systems and artificial intelligence into its new defence strategy. This effort is a response to the increasing importance of drones in modern warfare, which has surged since Russia's invasion of Ukraine. However, this surge in drone usage has also sparked concerns over potential civilian casualties and damage to critical infrastructure.
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. is at the forefront of this technological push, having developed a prototype interceptor drone designed to neutralize incoming attack drones. This achievement was accomplished in just three months through a collaborative effort between their research and business divisions. The company's President, Eisaku Ito, noted that their established expertise, including helicopter technology, allows them to transition to mass production more swiftly compared to startups.
Mitsubishi Heavy intends to produce an array of drones in limited quantities and regularly refine their designs.
Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd. is collaborating with European aircraft manufacturer Airbus SE on an unmanned aircraft featuring Kawasaki Heavy's sophisticated submarine-detection and monitoring system. They are considering proposing this system to Japan's Maritime Self-Defence Force. Alongside these large corporations, startups are also making strides in the drone sector.
For instance, Tokyo-based Terra Drone Corp. is developing defence products, and Rakuten Group Inc. has partnered with a German startup to assist the Defense Ministry in introducing drone technology. This collaboration has faced backlash from Catalog House Ltd., a mail-order magazine publisher, who criticized the move as contradictory to their corporate values and consequently withdrew their products from Rakuten Ichiba, Rakuten's online marketplace.
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