According to a company press release, Airbus signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Japanese conglomerate Kawasaki Heavy Industries on June 26, 2026, to jointly explore the possibilities for a Japanese version of the U950 Eurodrone unmanned aerial system for anti-submarine warfare (ASW).
Japan has been participating in the European four-nation program as an observer since 2023. The program is sponsored by Germany, France, Italy, and Spain and managed by the defense agency OCCAR. India also holds observer status.
The Eurodrone is ideally suited for monitoring vast maritime areas
The Eurodrone, whose maiden flight is scheduled for 2029, features a flight duration of up to 40 hours and a payload capacity of up to 2.3 metric tons. This puts it well ahead of its direct competitors and makes it ideally suited for monitoring vast maritime areas. For Japan, the platform offers the option to supplement its manned anti-submarine fleet highly efficiently and independently with an unmanned system that can be equipped with sonar buoys and torpedoes.
Strengthening European-Japanese Defense Initiatives
In the next step, Airbus and Kawasaki will develop concrete design, development, and marketing options. These include the integration of Japanese sensors and effectors, as well as the definition of industrial work shares for production and maintenance in Japan, to guarantee unrestricted, sovereign use.
The cooperation strengthens the Eurodrone program, deepens European-Japanese defense initiatives, and provides valuable insights for future European naval variants.
Gerhard Heiming
