Japan To Purchase Combat Drones In 2023, Acquire Several Hundred From 2025 - Reports

TOKYO (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 14th September, 2022) Japan will purchase combat drones to test in the next fiscal year that starts on April 1, 2023, and from fiscal year 2025 it will acquire several hundred imported or domestically produced combat drones, Japanese newspaper Yomiuri Shimbun reported on Wednesday.

The drones will primarily be used for the protection of southern Ryukyu Islands, also known as Nansei Islands, closest to China.

Japan will purchase Israel's Harop and the American Switchblade loitering munitions. Turkish drones Bayraktar are reportedly considered as one of the possible options. A decision on the purchase will be made after testing. The newspaper noted the efficiency of combat drones during the hostilities in Ukraine.

The Japanese armed forces are currently armed with US surveillance drones RQ-4 Global Hawk and ScanEagle.

The need to equip and develop combat drones will be reflected in the national defense strategy by the end of the year, the report said. It was also indicated in the draft budget of the country's defense ministry for the fiscal year 2023.

The Japanese Defense Ministry has requested a record 5.5 trillion Yen ($41 billion) for the next financial year. At the same time, this amount is not final and only includes the expenses that the ministry is ready to disclose in specific areas. The total defense spending for the fiscal year 2023 will reportedly reach up to 6.5 trillion yen.