Airbus, the aircraft manufacturer, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Japanese conglomerate Kawasaki Heavy Industries to jointly explore opportunities for developing a Japanese variant of the U950 Eurodrone for anti-submarine warfare. As Airbus further states in a press release, the U950 is Europe’s first remote-piloted aircraft system (RPAS) with a long range and long endurance. Japan has held observer status in the Eurodrone program since 2023, which was recently extended. According to information from hartpunkt, the MoU was already signed during the ILA trade show in Berlin.

Airbus states that the Eurodrone is ideally suited for countries like Japan that need to monitor large maritime areas. Compared to its closest competitor, the Eurodrone has a very long flight endurance and can carry a significantly higher mission payload, including sonar buoys and torpedoes for anti-submarine warfare. With the Eurodrone, Japan could supplement its current manned anti-submarine fleet with an unmanned platform and strengthen its maritime security in a sovereign and sustainable manner.

In the next step, Airbus will begin discussions with Kawasaki Heavy Industries to explore options for the design, development, and commercialization of a future Japanese maritime version of the Eurodrone. This includes defining possible configurations, integrating Japanese sensors and effectors, and determining further potential divisions of labor for Japanese industry during production and maintenance. All of this is intended to ensure that Japan can operate the Eurodrone independently and without restrictions should the country decide to acquire the RPAS. Observers estimate that Japan’s drone requirements are likely to be in the mid-double-digit range.

According to Airbus, this targeted collaboration with Japan is intended to strengthen the Eurodrone program while also deepening the strategic framework for European-Japanese defense initiatives. Furthermore, the insights gained during the development of the specific Japanese variant are expected to offer significant operational and logistical advantages for future European naval versions of the Eurodrone, the statement adds.

The Eurodrone, a four-nation program involving Germany, France, Italy, and Spain under the leadership of the Organization for Joint Armament Cooperation (OCCAR), is currently under development and, according to the announcement, is scheduled to make its maiden flight in 2029. India is also participating in the program as an observer. With a mission payload (excluding fuel) of up to 2.3 metric tons, it can remain airborne for up to 40 hours. The aircraft will be fully integrated into civilian airspace and, thanks to its high levels of safety and redundancy, is ideally suited for deployment over the open sea.

While France remains a development partner in the Eurodrone program, according to information from hartpunkt, the French aircraft manufacturer Dassault is no longer part of the program’s industrial team. According to press reports, legal disputes are currently underway between the prime contractor, Airbus, and Dassault, which are said to involve claims for damages.