Japan integrates MQ-9B SeaGuardian drones into frontline air policing

Japan is moving to integrate US-made MQ-9B SeaGuardian drones into frontline air policing operations, marking a significant shift in how the country manages airspace monitoring and maritime surveillance.

The initiative aims to relieve pressure on Japan’s fighter fleet, which has faced a decade of intense activity scrambling to intercept unidentified aircraft and vessels, particularly over the East China Sea, Army Recognition writes, citing Japan’s Ministry of Defence sources. 

The MQ-9B SeaGuardian, a medium-altitude long-endurance unmanned platform, is optimised for persistent intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions. Equipped with a multi-mode maritime radar, electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) sensors, and Automatic Identification System (AIS) receivers, the SeaGuardian can provide a continuous data stream to command centers, enabling better-informed decisions on whether crewed intercepts are necessary.

Its modular sensor suite and integration into joint networks enhance cross-domain awareness, making it capable of holding tracks through adverse conditions and across different types of contacts—air or maritime.

Unlike manned aircraft that require crew changes and frequent returns to base, the SeaGuardian can loiter for over 30 hours—and reportedly up to 40 in specific configurations—thanks to its satellite-link capabilities and detect-and-avoid suite certified for civilian airspace.

This endurance is particularly advantageous for patrolling Japan’s busy and contested maritime approaches, where civilian and military aircraft regularly overlap. A single drone orbit can monitor a sensitive zone for an entire day-night cycle, offering persistent coverage that reduces the need for multiple fighter sorties.

Japan is not entirely new to the MQ-9B. The Maritime Self-Defense Force and the Coast Guard have already conducted operational trials and demonstrations with the platform, including deployments near the Senkaku Islands.

These early experiences have allowed Japan to build practical familiarity with issues like basing, airspace coordination, and real-time data integration into joint operations. As procurement planning ramps up, Japan envisions a fleet of dozens of SeaGuardians.

Operational testing is expected to begin in 2026, focusing on handling airspace intrusions. The SeaGuardian’s integration is part of Japan’s broader defense reforms, which emphasize enhanced situational awareness, more efficient use of crewed assets, and stronger ISR capabilities across its air and maritime domains.

With continued pressure from Chinese and Russian military activities, the use of drones allows Japan to respond proportionally while conserving fuel, airframe longevity, and personnel endurance.

Ultimately, this approach signals to allies and competitors alike that Japan is investing in persistent, scalable surveillance rather than reacting to every potential threat with high-speed interceptors. It also strengthens Japan’s maritime focus in an increasingly complex regional security environment, where the distinction between coast guard, maritime militia, and navy is often blurred.

By Sabina Mammadli