Use of unmanned vehicles becoming crucial to Japan's defense

Unmanned aerial, ground and underwater vehicles are increasingly being used for national security in Japan and other countries, with the lack of training requirements and risk to human life seen as major benefits. Autonomous vehicles are seen as indispensable to Japan, which has a rapidly aging population and low birthrate. In the National Defense Program Guidelines adopted in late 2018, the government pledged to promote the Self-Defense Forces' use of artificial intelligence and other technological innovations for "automation and manpower-saving," with accelerating population declines now making the recruitment of SDF members a pressing issue. The Defense Ministry has launched a project to develop unmanned aircraft to escort the new fighter jet Japan plans to deploy as the successor to the Air Self-Defense Force's existing F-2s in fiscal 2035 at the earliest. Equipped with AI, the planned unmanned aircraft would be able to detect enemy fighters and missiles, fire missiles, stage electronic attacks and serve as a decoy to disorient enemy missiles.