Japan, US form joint initiative to research AI for unmanned aircraft

Defense GCAP futuristic render
BAE Systems

Japan’s Ministry of Defense and the US Department of Defense have signed an agreement to jointly research AI technology for unmanned aircraft.  

Building on a partnership agreed in December 2022 to enable Japan’s future fighter aircraft, this collaboration focuses on developing AI systems for behavioral judgment in unmanned aircraft. 

The goal of this study, called “Overwhelming Response through Collaborative Autonomy”, is to integrate the developed AI into unmanned aircraft that will collaborate with next-gen fighter jets.  

“The project’s objective is to revolutionize airborne combat by merging state-of-the-art artificial intelligence and machine learning with advanced unmanned air vehicles,” the US Secretary of the Air Force commented. 

In addition to AI research, both defense departments are working to expand collaboration in drone technology. 

Japan is involved in the Global Combat Air Program (GCAP), a joint program with the United Kingdom and Italy to develop a ‘system of systems’ centered around a sixth-generation fighter jet.