Fujitsu and General Atomics to explore MRO partnership for MQ-9B drones in Japan

Fujitsu and General Atomics have signed a memorandum of understanding to explore maintenance and support arrangements for unmanned aircraft systems in Japan, according to the companies. The agreement comes as the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force prepares to bring the MQ-9B into service.

The JMSDF is due to start operating the MQ-9B in its 2027 fiscal year, which begins 1 April 2027. Japan committed to the type in December 2024 as part of its Long Endurance UAV programme, with plans to acquire 23 of the aircraft in total.

Under the memorandum, the two companies will examine areas including avionics maintenance, parts management and maintenance training, along with maintenance support carried out within Japan. General Atomics said the pact also covers broader technical collaboration, with potential future work spanning mission systems and systems integration.

Kenichiro Miyazaki, who leads national security matters at Fujitsu, said the company aims to draw on its experience in defence-sector maintenance to help build a sustainable support framework for the MQ-9B in Japan. He called the agreement an initial step in a longer-term partnership between the two firms.

The MQ-9B is already flown by Japan's coast guard, separate from the forthcoming naval deployment. No financial terms of the memorandum were disclosed.