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Japan Selects Shield AI’s V-BAT Drone for Maritime Surveillance

Japan Selects Shield AI’s V-BAT Drone for Maritime Surveillance

Japan has selected Shield AI’s V-BAT unmanned aircraft system as the country’s first maritime-based intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance platform.

Shield AI said the award marks the beginning of a multi-year partnership, enabling the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force to acquire multiple V-BAT units. The Diplomat previously reported that the Japanese cabinet had approved the purchase of six V-BAT drones worth $25.4 million as part of the country’s defense budget for fiscal year 2025. The UAVs will be installed on the service’s patrol vessels, enhancing Tokyo’s surveillance and intel-gathering capabilities.

Brandon Tseng, Shield AI president and co-founder, highlighted the importance of this partnership for regional deterrence efforts. “The JMSDF’s selection of V-BAT reflects their understanding of the future of warfare, where operational success requires blending high-cost assets with intelligent, affordable unmanned systems like V-BAT,” he said.

The V-BAT is a single-engine ducted-fan vertical takeoff and landing system that can reach a maximum of 20,000 feet, operate for 10 hours and carry payloads weighing up to 25 pounds. It supports a variety of customizable payloads and sensors, including electro-optical/mid-wave infrared cameras, automatic identification systems, and artificial intelligence-based land or maritime wide-area search capabilities.

The drones, currently deployed in the United States, Ukraine and the Black Sea, could soon have a global production facility and service hub in India.

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