Airbus signs MoU to explore Japanese anti

Key Points:

• Airbus has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Kawasaki Heavy Industries to explore developing a Japanese anti-submarine warfare variant of the Eurodrone, Europe’s first Large Long Endurance Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS).
• The Eurodrone offers long flight endurance and high mission payload capacity, making it well-suited for Japan’s need to monitor vast maritime areas and enhance its anti-submarine warfare capabilities with an uncrewed platform.
• Airbus and Kawasaki will collaborate on design, development, and commercialization options, including integrating Japanese sensors and ensuring Japan’s sovereign operation of the Eurodrone without restrictions.
• This partnership aims to strengthen European-Japanese defense cooperation and provide operational benefits for future European naval versions of the Eurodrone.
• The Eurodrone, developed by Germany, France, Italy, and Spain with a first flight planned for 2029, can perform diverse missions including surveillance, reconnaissance, and maritime patrol, with up to 40 hours of endurance and a 2.3-tonne payload.