The Defense Ministry, acting at the behest of Prime Minister Naoto Kan, is set to begin a study into the development of an unmanned reconnaissance aircraft, sources said.
The Defense Ministry, acting at the behest of Prime Minister Naoto Kan, is set to begin a study into the development of an unmanned reconnaissance aircraft, sources said.
Kan gave instructions to proceed after high altitude unmanned reconnaissance Global Hawk aircraft used by the U.S. military proved effective in gathering information about conditions at the quake-stricken Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant following the March 11 disaster.
Funds will be earmarked for this project in either the third supplementary budget or the budget for fiscal 2012. The amount will greatly exceed the allocation in the current fiscal year budget.
The Defense Ministry has tried to develop small unmanned aircraft in the past.
Between fiscal 2004 and 2010, about 10 billion yen ($128 million) was spent on developing a multipurpose, small unmanned jet. Although four prototypes were constructed, two were lost after crashing into the ocean due to engine trouble during test flights.
The failure to produce a viable aircraft led to a sharp reduction in study expenses for such development in the current fiscal year. Just 1 million yen was allocated for this purpose.
The decision to greatly increase the study expenses will also cover the cost of research and development of robot technology.
While Defense Ministry officials will initially focus on developing a reconnaissance aircraft that can be used by Self-Defense Forces members when they are dispatched to assist in disaster relief operations, there is a possibility that subsequent development could focus on converting the technology for military use.
Kan gave the instructions to develop an unmanned vehicle at a July 1 luncheon at the Prime Minister's Official Residence.
Among the participants were Defense Minister Toshimi Kitazawa and Gen. Eiji Kimizuka, who at that time was head of the Northeastern Army and in charge of SDF disaster relief operations in the Tohoku region following the Great East Japan Earthquake. Kimizuka is now GSDF chief of staff.
Pointing to the contributions of the Global Hawk, Kan said, "Japan has advanced technology in robotics and radio-controlled equipment. I want the Defense Ministry to develop Japan's own unmanned vehicle."
In dealing with the Fukushima nuclear accident, consideration had been given at one time to using an unmanned helicopter used by the GSDF to observe what was occurring by remote control. However, the idea was never implemented because as one high-ranking Defense Ministry official put it, "It was not at a level of practical use so we could not make a decision to use it in circumstances that did not allow for any error."
The U.S. military received a request from the Japanese government and dispatched a Global Hawk from Andersen Air Force Base on Guam. The vehicle was used for reconnaissance flights over the disaster-stricken areas of the Tohoku region as well as the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant.
Video images taken by a camera on board were passed to Japan.
Analysis of the images provided confirmation that the storage pool for spent nuclear fuel in the No. 4 reactor at the plant was empty of water. That and other information was relayed to Japanese officials.