An innovative new Japanese combat drone was recently unveiled by the country’s defense minister, who said the unmanned aerial systems are already being deployed in support of the country’s air defense capabilities.
The fixed-wing aircraft, developed by the Japanese defense company AirKamuy and appropriately named the AirKamuy 150, has been billed as a low-cost, environmentally friendly aerial system that can be produced quickly from readily available materials.
However, unlike most modern unmanned aerial systems developed for combat situations, the AirKamuy 150 is constructed almost entirely from something most wouldn’t expect: cardboard.
“Today, I had the opportunity to exchange opinions with everyone from Air Kamuy, which is renowned for its cardboard drones,” Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi said in a recent posting that appeared on his official X account.
“The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force is already utilizing them as targets,” Koizumi said.
Last month, it was announced that Japan would be moving to institutionalize its drone warfare capabilities, with the launch of a new initiative involving the country’s Ground Self-Defense Force (GSDF).
The move highlights a notable shift in Japan’s preparations for future combat, particularly amid heightened tensions in the Pacific region. Japanese officials have also cited a “shrinking workforce” as another primary factor behind the recent ramp-up in drone capabilities.
On April 13, an official ceremony was held in Tokyo to recognize the launch of a pair of new offices that will manage the country’s drone production: the “Unmanned Defense Capability Promotion Office” and the “Unmanned Systems Office,” both launched on April 8.
“Taking into account the geographical characteristics of our nation as a maritime nation, we must realize new ways of fighting at the earliest possible time,” Shinjiro said during the April ceremony.
Shinjiro also said he aspires to see Japan’s Self Defense Forces become “the organization that makes the greatest use of unmanned assets in the world.”
In a December 2022 document detailing Japan’s National Defense Strategy, defense officials noted specifically that in the event of an invasion, “Japan would need to ensure asymmetric advantage by leveraging, in addition to these capabilities, manned as well as unmanned assets and gain superiority across domains such as underwater, surface, and air.”
The document further outlined the country’s objectives to strengthen its unmanned defense capabilities, as well as “crossdomain operation capabilities” and “command and control/intelligence-related functions.”
“Unmanned assets are often relatively affordable compared to manned equipment and have the great advantage of being able to minimize human loss and operate continuously for a long period of time,” the strategic document stated, noting that combining such capabilities with emerging technologies that include artificial intelligence could be “a game-changer that fundamentally transform force structure and way of warfare, enabling Japan to gain asymmetrical advantages in the air, sea, and underwater domains.”
“For this reason, these unmanned assets will be effectively utilized not only for information gathering and surveillance, but also for a wide range of missions including combat support,” the document states.
Defense Minister Koizumi said in his recent posting on X that his meeting with AirKamuy representatives produced “an extremely in-depth discussion,” adding that he hopes the collaboration will help Japan reach its goals for transforming and optimizing its air defense capabilities in the months ahead.
“In aiming to become the Self-Defense Forces that makes the most extensive use of unmanned assets, including drones, in the world, strengthening collaboration with startups enthusiastic about the defense sector is indispensable,” Koizumi said.
Micah Hanks is the Editor-in-Chief and Co-Founder of The Debrief. A longtime reporter on science, defense, and technology with a focus on space and astronomy, he can be reached at micah@thedebrief.org. Follow him on X @MicahHanks, and at micahhanks.com.