Japan Plans UAV Use to Counter Increasing Chinese Drone Threats

Globally, militaries are grappling with the economic challenges posed by drone warfare, where inexpensive drones are used for surveillance and attacks, forcing defenders to expend costly interceptors. Japan's Defense Ministry plans to deploy the U.S.-made MQ-9B SeaGuardian UAV to reduce reliance on expensive fighter jets when responding to Chinese drone incursions, aiming to enhance surveillance while cutting operational costs. Similarly, the Royal Navy’s experience in the Red Sea highlights the high expense of shooting down cheaper Houthi drones with costly missiles, exemplifying a broader attrition and economic warfare strategy seen in conflicts including recent Russian drone incursions into Poland. In the Philippines, lawmakers are pushing to acquire military-grade drones to boost defense, surveillance, and disaster response capabilities, while encouraging local innovation to reduce long-term acquisition costs. Advanced drone fleets are also being considered for domestic security roles, such as anti-assassination and policing in U.S. cities, with calls for balanced oversight to ensure effective safety without dystopian outcomes. Across conflicts from Ukraine to Asia, militaries seek more cost-effective drone defense measures amid the rapidly decreasing prices and increasing sophistication of unmanned systems.