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Japan to Build $850M Drone Defense System as China Expands Navy
Japan's $850 million SHIELD system will deploy Shield AI's V-BAT drones to boost maritime surveillance amid escalating Chinese naval incursions, enhancing defense by 2028.
- On 29/08, Shield AI announced its V-BAT unmanned aircraft system was selected by the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force as the first maritime ISR platform, with multiple units to equip JMSDF surface vessels and a planned multi-year order stream.
- On the morning of October 16, 2025, four China Coast Guard vessels entered waters around the Senkaku Islands, remaining about one and a half to two hours amid deployment of 5,000-ton class CCG ships armed with 76 mm guns.
- The V-BAT's unique single-engine ducted-fan design enables confined shipborne launches and recoveries, with proven performance in GPS- and communications-denied environments and advanced Hivemind AI pilot autonomy.
- The defence budget request would roughly treble spending on unmanned vehicles to 313 billion yen, with drones integrated into the SHIELD coastal defence system planned for completion by March 2028, now vetted by the Finance Ministry.
- Japan's budget push signals a broader strategic shift as it moves away from strict pacifism, aligning with U.S.-Japan alliance needs to deter threats near the Senkaku Islands, hosting 54,000 US military personnel.
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21 Articles
China's military build-up demands response, Australia defence minister says
Australia's defence force operations to protect its sea trade routes, including through the South China Sea, are becoming more risky as Beijing undertakes the "biggest military build-up in the world today", Australia's defence minister said on Tuesday.
·United Kingdom
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China seeks to project power far beyond its coast with the new Fujian aircraft carrier
BANGKOK (AP) — China has commissioned its latest aircraft carrier after extensive sea trials, state media reported Friday, adding a ship that experts say will help what is already the world’s largest
·Vancouver, United States
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Coverage Details
Total News Sources21
Leaning Left0Leaning Right3Center7Last UpdatedBias Distribution70% Center
Bias Distribution
- 70% of the sources are Center
70% Center
C 70%
R 30%
Factuality
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