Anti-Drone System: Japan to Equip Promising IFVs and APCs With Drone Protection

The Japanese Ministry of Defense has developed new variants of armored combat vehicles fitted with self-defense systems against drones.

The X user @Military_Hobbys published the documents describing the new infantry fighting vehicle and the armored personnel carrier versions.

According to the released materials, the Ministry has proposed two variants of anti-drone protection for combat vehicles — specifically, by integrating radar antennas with the main armament.

One IFV version will be equipped with an unmanned turret that closely resembles the one used on the Type 24 infantry fighting vehicle, according to the documents.

Antenna arrays are mounted in four directions on the turret to detect aerial targets and, when necessary, to cue the gun. The main gun in this configuration is the 30 mm Mk.44 Bushmaster cannon.

It is intended to use ammunition with programmed fuzes — the round detonates at a preset time. The primary munition of this type will likely be the 30 mm Mk.310, purchases of which were recorded in a Ministry of Defense contract in April.

The anti-drone armored personnel carrier version will be fitted with the M230LF low-pulse cannon integrated into the RS6 remote-control system — the same system used on upgraded Type 10 tanks.

This cannon is also 30 mm but uses a different cartridge — 30×113 mm rounds whose detonation is initiated by a radio fuse.

As with the IFV version, the APC will also receive antenna arrays to detect drones and direct the main gun.

The presented anti-UAV kits are mounted on the Common Platform Tracked (CPT) chassis or its upgraded versions. These platforms are intended to replace aging Type 73 APCs (which are approaching the service life of the M113) and the Type 89 IFVs, of which only 68 were produced.

These IFVs require both increased production and capability upgrades, as more than 30 years have passed since their development.