Japan eyes unmanned early-warning aircraft for Pacific defense

May 18 (Asia Today) -- Japan is considering deploying unmanned aircraft equipped with airborne early-warning radar systems as part of efforts to strengthen Pacific defense and counter China's expanding military strategy around Taiwan, according to a report Sunday.

The move reflects growing concern in Tokyo that China could attempt to block U.S. military access to the western Pacific during a Taiwan conflict.

The Yomiuri Shimbun reported, citing multiple Japanese government officials, that Tokyo plans to include expanded Pacific surveillance capabilities in revised national security documents expected later this year.

Japan is reviewing the possible introduction of unmanned aerial vehicles equipped with early-warning radar systems. One leading candidate is the U.S.-made MQ-9B SeaGuardian drone, which the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force plans to introduce in fiscal year 2027.

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The drone can remain airborne for extended periods and has a range of about 4,900 kilometers, or about 3,045 miles.

Japanese officials are reportedly considering using airstrips on Iwo Jima and Minamitorishima to support long-duration surveillance missions over the Pacific Ocean.

Airborne early-warning aircraft are often described as "flying radar sites" because they can detect low-flying aircraft, ships and missiles over a much wider area than ground-based or shipborne radar systems, which are limited by the curvature of the Earth and the horizon.

Using unmanned systems would also allow longer surveillance operations while reducing the operational burden on military personnel.

Japan is simultaneously moving to strengthen radar coverage across remote island chains. Authorities plan to begin surveys this year to deploy mobile warning and control radar systems on Chichijima in the Ogasawara Islands. Existing fixed radar installations on Iwo Jima are also expected to be converted into mobile systems.

Tokyo reportedly sees the region as a surveillance gap as Chinese naval and air activities increasingly expand into the western Pacific beyond the Miyako Strait.

The strategy is closely linked to concerns about China's so-called anti-access and area-denial doctrine, which aims to prevent U.S. forces from operating inside the "second island chain" stretching from Japan's Izu Islands to Guam during a Taiwan contingency.

The Ogasawara Islands and Iwo Jima sit along that strategic line.

Analysts say Japan's efforts are intended to improve the ability of U.S. and Japanese forces to detect Chinese aircraft and naval movements earlier and strengthen joint operational readiness.

The development could also carry broader security implications for South Korea.

In a Taiwan contingency, trilateral cooperation among the United States, South Korea and Japan would likely depend heavily on intelligence sharing, logistical support and the stability of U.S. force movements across the Pacific.

As Japan expands its operational reach deeper into the Pacific, South Korea may face growing pressure to assess how a Taiwan Strait crisis could affect the Korean Peninsula, including the possible roles of U.S. Forces Korea and U.S. Forces Japan.

-- Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI

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Original Korean report: https://www.asiatoday.co.kr/kn/view.php?key=20260518010004911