US technology company Shield AI has been awarded a contract to supply an undisclosed number of its V-Bat vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) to the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF).
The company noted it a 22 January statement that the V-BAT will be Japan’s first maritime-based intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) platform aboard JMSDF surface vessels, and the initial order is the start of a planned multi-year stream of increasing V-BAT orders to support JMSDF ISR operations.
“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,” said Shield AI President and co-founder Brandon Tseng.
“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,” added Tseng. “Every U.S. and allied maritime vessel should be equipped with V-BAT to provide shipborne ISR capabilities wherever and whenever they are needed, and it’s fantastic to be making that vision a reality with JMSDF.”
The Japan Ministry of Defense (MoD) earlier announced in December 2024 that it will procure V-BATs to address the growing ISR requirements of the JMSDF, and plans to deploy the air vehicles aboard “patrol vessels” to enhance maritime domain awareness (MDA) operations. The MoD had requested around US$24 million in its fiscal year 2025 budget to acquire small UASs for the JMSDF.
According to Shield AI, the V-BAT is the only single-engine, ducted-fan, VTOL UAS that is operationally deployed across the world including Ukraine as well as the Black Sea and Indo-Pacific.
by Jr Ng
