Civilian contractors embarked with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit conduct a V-BAT drone flight at Colonel Ernesto Rabina Air Base, Tarlac, Philippines, Oct. 4, 2022. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Manuel Alvarado)
WASHINGTON — The Japanese navy has agreed to buy an undisclosed number of V-BAT drones from American firm Shield AI, bolstering the service’s sea-based awareness through what the company claims is Tokyo’s first maritime-based intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) platform.
Inked as a direct commercial sale, the deal announced by Shield AI today does not include expected quantities or dollar values. The firm expects to deliver the first of the vertical takeoff and landing V-BATs “later this year” as part of “a planned multi-year buy” for the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF), a company spokesperson told Breaking Defense.
“Japan is a vital ally in the Indo-Pacific and critical to regional deterrence efforts, and this partnership strengthens Japan’s ability to respond effectively to crises and ensures they are equipped with a reliable and proven platform for maritime ISR missions,” Shield AI President Brandon Tseng said in a company press release.
The drone buy, which Shield AI claims will yield the first ship-launched ISR platform for the JMSDF, underscores an increased focus on the seas by Japan amid rising tensions with China. According to the company spokesperson, the V-BAT specifically is “the first-ever Group 3 ship-based ISR platform that was awarded following a competition for procurement (i.e., not a company owned/company operated (COCO) deployment).”
Shield AI has been marketing the V-BAT after acquiring the rights to the drone by buying a company called Martin UAV in 2021. The V-BAT drone has been selected by the US Coast Guard for maritime surveillance and has reportedly proved effective against dense electromagnetic warfare waged on the battlefield in Ukraine. The V-BAT now will even be manufactured abroad after Shield AI recently announced a joint venture with the Indian company JSW Group to build the drone in India.
Shield AI currently manufactures the V-BAT at its production facilities in Dallas, Texas. The deal with the JMSDF announced today includes a partnership with an undisclosed “local entity,” the company spokesperson said, though they noted that the drones will still be produced on American soil.
