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Japan may renege on its Global Hawk acquisition

19th August 2020 - 00:00 GMT | by Koji Miyake in Tokyo

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Domestic media in Japan reported on 13 August that Tokyo is considering cancelling its purchase of the RQ-4B Block 30(I) Global Hawk.

The Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) had sought to acquire three RQ-4Bs and to deploy them at Misawa Air Base in 2021. The JASDF also planned to establish a new unit with 70 personnel for the new platform.

However, the USAF’s 2021 budget proposal showed that the RQ-4 Blocks 20 and 30 would be retired. This means Japan and South Korea would be left as the only RQ-4 Block 30 users.

Japan’s MoD is therefore worried about rising

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Author

Koji Miyake

Koji Miyake is a Tokyo-based writer.

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