Japan selects Drone40 loitering munition

A DefendTex official demonstrates an unarmed Drone40 loitering munition to the Australian Army in 2021. (Commonwealth of Australia)

Japan has selected the Drone40 loitering munition to support short-range strike operations. A Ministry of Defense (MoD) spokesperson told Janes that the system, developed by Australian company DefendTex, has been tested and selected for procurement.

Drone40 will support the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force's (JGSDF's) short-range strike operations, the spokesperson said. “[Drone40] is intended to respond to invading troops at close range of allied units, to counter landing troops on remote islands, and to protect critical facilities,” the spokesperson added.

The loitering munition will be delivered by Japanese trading firm Marubeni Aerospace, which was awarded the contract in late March. Deliveries are expected to be completed by late May 2027.

Drone40 is a multi-payload loitering munition that can be deployed via hand, air, boat, vehicle or a 40 mm grenade launcher. According to company specifications, Drone40 is 13 cm long, with a maximum take-off weight (MTOW) of 400 g, endurance of 1 hour, and a range of 35 km.

The munition features a GPS-based autopilot system with a portable ground control station communicating over an encrypted radio data-link.

The spokesperson said the JGSDF has also tested loitering munitions to enhance medium-range and long-range strike capabilities. Systems tested for medium-range strikes include DefendTex Drone81, Uvision Hero 120, WB Electronics Warmate 3, and Helsing HX-2 Karma.

Loitering munitions tested for long-range strikes include Elbit Systems SkyStriker, Anduril Altius-600M, and WB Electronics Warmate 5, the spokesperson added.

The spokesperson did not provide further details on whether any of these tested loitering munitions have been selected for procurement.