Shield and NIPPI Corporation have signed a contract for Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) operations for V-BAT in Japan. The first domestic MRO agreement of its kind includes provisions for NIPPI to establish in-country technical capability for Group 3 unmanned aircraft systems.
NIPPI is one of Japan’s leading aerospace maintenance and manufacturing companies. It has supported Japan Self-Defense Forces and United States Navy aircraft for decades and is well positioned to build and sustain domestic V-BAT support capability. NIPPI will serve as Shield’s primary in-country MRO and training provider and provide technical and maintenance support for V-BAT directly to the JMSDF. This support activity will contribute to establishing NIPPI’s domestic capabilities for V-BAT maintenance and operations and to building a sustainable specialist skills base in Japan.
Localizing MRO and training are critical steps in transitioning V-BAT from an imported system to a sustained, domestically supported capability. It shortens repair timelines, reduces the logistical burden of returning components to the United States, and builds a trained Japanese workforce capable of supporting V-BAT operations for the long term.
NIPPI will be Shield’s main partner for V-BAT with JMSDF, with the potential to extend these capabilities for future V-BAT programs across other forces. Shield also works closely with Sumisho Aero-Systems, the Japanese trading company that has facilitated V-BAT procurement for the JMSDF since the program’s inception.
“For the Japan Self-Defense Forces, establishing a sustainable domestic maintenance and support capability is essential to ensuring equipment readiness.” said Kunihiro Asaji, Project Manager at NIPPI. “This collaboration with Shield gives us the ability to do that directly. It builds our people’s skills in unmanned aircraft maintenance as the program matures.”
“Japan is a strategic ally for the United States in the Asia region. This agreement reflects our commitment to be a long-term partner here, not just a supplier,” said Eugene “Sunshine” Choi, International Business Development – Managing Director, Japan at Shield. “By putting maintenance, repair, and training capability directly into Japanese hands, we’re creating skilled jobs in Japan and building capacity for the long-term.”
Shield is also investing in its Japanese footprint, with a dedicated office in Tokyo led by Sunshine Choi. The office supports Shield’s growing Japanese customers and partners on ground. It reflects the company’s broader strategy of building lasting, in-country capability everywhere V-BAT operates.