US & Japan Hold First Joint C-UAS Drill
The U.S. and Japan have conducted their first-ever joint counter-drone exercise. The drill is being framed as a move to strengthen deterrence and interoperability between the two allies in the face of growing unmanned threats in the Indo-Pacific.
The recent drill, part of the broader "Rising Thunder 25" exercise, took place from October 27 to November 12, 2025, at the Yakima Training Center in Washington state. This location was crucial as its extensive airspace allows for live-fire engagements against drones in flight, a scenario difficult to replicate in densely populated Japan. The exercise involved approximately 500 U.S. soldiers and 440 personnel from the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF). This exercise represents a strategic shift for the alliance, treating unmanned systems as a central challenge for ground forces. Participating units, including a U.S. Army Stryker contingent and the JGSDF's 22nd Rapid Deployment Regiment, practiced the entire counter-drone kill chain—from detection and tracking to live engagement and neutralization. This marks the JGSDF's first-ever live-fire drone interception exercise. On the hardware front, U.S. forces utilized man-portable jammers from the Dronebuster family, which disrupt a drone's control link and GPS signals. The JGSDF, meanwhile, is actively developing its own layered defense, testing domestically produced truck-mounted lasers and high-power microwave systems designed to disable drone electronics. The urgency is driven by a dramatic increase in drone activity in the region, particularly from China. In the last fiscal year, Japan detected 30 unidentified drones near its southwestern islands, a significant increase from nine the previous year. This follows incidents like the undetected drone filming of the JS Izumo aircraft carrier at a secure naval base, which was later posted on Chinese social media. In response, Japan is investing heavily in a multi-layered "drone shield" for its southwestern periphery as part of a record defense budget. This initiative aims to integrate unmanned assets with traditional standoff defense capabilities. The Ministry of Defense is also developing new armored vehicles with integrated anti-drone systems, including unmanned turrets with 30mm cannons using programmable ammunition. Beyond ground-level C-UAS, the U.S. and Japan are deepening collaboration on advanced autonomous systems. The "Overwhelming Response through Collaborative Autonomy" project seeks to develop AI for unmanned aircraft that will fly alongside Japan's next-generation fighters. Another initiative, the 'SAMURAI' project, is focused on creating AI-powered drones capable of autonomous targeting, envisioned as "loyal wingmen" to support manned aircraft.
