Japan plans to finalize a $25 million contract with the U.S. company Shield AI (based in San Diego, California) for the acquisition of V-BAT unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to boost maritime reconnaissance capabilities.

The Japanese cabinet has approved the procurement of six V-BAT UAVs as part of the fiscal 2025 defense budget proposal.

The V-BAT is a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) UAV, enabling deployment on vessels with limited deck space, such as small patrol boats and frigates. It is designed for extended maritime reconnaissance missions.

Key features:

🔵 Compact size: Requires only 12 square feet (3.7 m²) for deployment.

🔵 Flight endurance: Up to 10 hours.

🔵 VTOL capability allows operation from confined areas, crucial for military ships with small decks.

The acquisition is expected to significantly improve the Japanese Armed Forces’ reconnaissance abilities, particularly in the contested East China Sea. In potential conflicts with China, the UAVs will be instrumental in monitoring and gathering intelligence on Chinese naval and submarine activities.

We had earlier reported that VBAT has been deployed in Israel and soon US and India will jointly produce the VBATs. Read more here