Chinese drone: WL10 discovered, ASDF aircraft scrambles
・Intrusion into the air defense identification zone west of Japan’s Okinawa
・US reconnaissance drone MQ4C arrives at Kadena Air Base
We will provide you with a summary of articles published in Jiji Press.
Ministry of Defense of Japan:
On May 27th, a Chinese unmanned aerial vehicle: WL10 was confirmed in the East China Sea west of Okinawa.
1. Chinese military reconnaissance/attack drone WL10 enters Japan’s air defense identification zone.
2. Air Self-Defense Force fighter jets scrambled to respond. There appears to have been no airspace violation.
This is the fifth type of Chinese military drone confirmed by the Self-Defense Forces.
WL10 reconnaissance flight:
Japan is increasingly wary of Chinese aircraft activities and drone technology.
1. WL10 flew alone from the direction of mainland China on the morning of the 27th.
2. It flew around the East China Sea several times and returned.
From the appearance of WL10, it is highly likely that it was used for reconnaissance purposes as it has not been confirmed that it was equipped with weapons.
https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/4b5387fb2d07d48317a200a34dd98daa37504167
US Navy Triton: Arrives at Kadena Air Base, Okinawa Prefecture
We will provide you with a summary of articles published in the Yomiuri Shimbun.
US Navy Triton:
With China in mind as it continues to expand into the ocean, the mission will continue to gather information and conduct warning and surveillance operations in the East China Sea until October 2024.
1. The US Navy will deploy a large unmanned reconnaissance aircraft MQ4C at the US military Kadena Air Base.
2. One of the two MQ4C Triton aircraft arrived at the base on the night of the 20th.
https://www.yomiuri.co.jp/local/kyushu/news/20240521-OYTNT50086/
US Navy: plans MQ-4C deployment on Okinawa
The US Navy:
is preparing to deploy two Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Tritons at Kadena Air Base in Okinawa.
This is the first known deployment:
of this high-altitude long-endurance (HALE) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) on Okinawa.
A US Navy spokesperson:
confirmed to Janes on 20 May
the “US Pacific Fleet plans to temporarily deploy MQ-4C Tritons and associated personnel from Andersen Air [Force] Base, Guam, to a location in Japan”.
The spokesperson added:
the deployment had been planned well in advance
in support of US Indo-Pacific Command’s intelligence,
surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) operations.
the Minister of Defense of Japan, Minoru Kihara,
described during a press conference on 14 May 2024 as being “extremely important from the perspective of Japan’s security”,
1.The deployment will see the two MQ-4Cs operate from Kadena Air Base from May to October 2024.
2.the MQ-4Cs will assist with over-water airborne ISR activities around Japan, “including the southwestern region”.
The ministry recognises :
the temporarily deployed Triton’s engagement in ISR activities
by flying across a broad geographical range for a long time
1.will strengthen maritime surveillance capabilities
2.in the area around Japan and be beneficial to Japan’s security,
The US Navy
uses the MQ-4C for its Broad Area Maritime Surveillance (BAMS) programme.
The MQ-4C can be used for signals intelligence (SIGINT), communications relay and search-and-rescue operations.
https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/us-navy-plans-mq-4c-deployment-on-okinawa