Japan, U.S. unite, forging AI path for jet-assisting drones.

TLDR:

• Japan and the United States have agreed to conduct joint research on artificial intelligence (AI) for drones that would assist Japan’s next generation fighter jet.
• Japan plans to co-develop a new fighter aircraft with Britain and Italy by 2035.
• The AI developed in this joint research will be applied to unmanned air vehicles (UAVs) that will work alongside Japan’s future fighter aircraft.
• The collaboration between Japan and the United States aims to maintain the technological advantages of the Japan-U.S. alliance.

The Japanese Defense Ministry, along with the United States, has agreed to begin joint research on AI technology that would be applied to drones to assist Japan’s next generation fighter jet. Japan is planning to co-develop a next-generation fighter aircraft by 2035 with Britain and Italy. While the United States is not part of the fighter jet project, it has shown interest in strengthening defense cooperation with Japan in terms of autonomous systems capabilities.

The joint research aims to merge AI and machine learning with advanced unmanned air vehicles to revolutionize airborne combat. The AI developed from this research will be eventually used for drones that will work alongside Japan’s future fighter aircraft. The drones can be used to collect data by flying near the fighter jets.

This collaboration is seen as beneficial for maintaining the technological advantages of the Japan-U.S. alliance. The United States has expressed support for Japan’s defense cooperation with Britain and Italy, as Japan faces a severe security environment, particularly in the face of an increasingly assertive China.

Initially, Japan had sought to collaborate with U.S. defense firms in developing new fighters. However, due to strict U.S. rules on information confidentiality, Japan decided to look for other partners. Japan intends to develop a successor to its F-2 planes, while Britain and Italy aim to replace their Eurofighter jets. This fighter jet program marks Japan’s first joint defense equipment development deal with a country other than the United States.