Synchronized, Hybrid, Integrated and Enhanced Littoral Defense
Japan's planned coastal defence network of cheap drones, uncrewed boats and underwater vehicles.
Japan's fiscal 2026 budget gave SHIELD about 100.1 billion yen to stand up during fiscal 2027, but the request published on 31 August 2026 drops the heading and lists its drone parts one by one.
Last refreshed: 1 October 2026
Timeline for Synchronized, Hybrid, Integrated and Enhanced Littoral Defense
Japan requests 17 MQ-9B drones for 2027
Drones: Industry & DefenceBackground
SHIELD, short for Synchronized, Hybrid, Integrated and Enhanced Littoral Defense, is Japan's plan for a layered coastal defence built from unmanned systems. The Ministry of Defense says it needs an asymmetric defence, using large numbers of cheap aerial, surface and underwater drones against an invasion.
Planned assets include modular and small attack drones for the Ground Self-Defense Force, ship-launched and ship-based drones for the navy, anti-ship and radar-site defence drones for the air force, and small multi-purpose surface and underwater vehicles.
The ministry allocated about 100.1 billion yen to SHIELD in fiscal 2026, aiming to establish it in fiscal 2027. In the next request its components appear as separate lines, such as the money sought for three small attack drone types and for ship-borne drones.