Japan Approves Mass Production of 3D-Printed Interceptor Drones

Japan's defense-procurement agency has signed a mass production agreement for interceptor drones made using 3D printers, aiming to deploy an unmanned counter-drone fleet by 2027.

The Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics Agency selected Terra B1, a rocket-launched interceptor drone, after testing with the Maritime Self-Defense Forces last month. The drone is made by Terra Drone, a Tokyo-based company that tested earlier versions on Ukraine's battlefields earlier this year.

Terra B1 is designed to counter long-range loitering drones, including Shahed-type systems and anti-radar munitions such as the IAI Harpy. ATLA put out the tender in late May, and the whole process from selection to contract took about three months, a pace the agency has never managed before.

Using 3D printers shortens design and prototyping, CEO Toru Tokushige told Defense News. The technology also lets Terra Drone update the drones quickly as threats evolve without delaying deployment schedules.

Terra Drone plans to spread production across multiple sites, with local printing farms as a longer-term goal. If one facility came under attack, the distributed model would keep manufacturing running. The company views 3D printing as a way to build a faster, more flexible, and more resilient defense manufacturing base for Japan, not just a cost-saving measure.

Three dozen companies submitted proposals under the Interceptor Drone Early Acquisition Program. Four systems made it to the demonstration phase, and Terra B1 was the only one to pass. ATLA is not disclosing the contract value or how many drones will be produced. Deliveries to the Maritime Self-Defense Force are expected to begin in September.

Japan is not the first military to adopt 3D-printed drones, but the speed of this procurement and the scale of the planned deployment mark a notable shift in how defense agencies buy hardware.