Japan to develop prototype of advanced fighter jet Options

[moviez]

Japan to develop prototype of advanced fighter jet
http://english.pravda.ru/news/world/24-07-2007/95188-japan-0

F-22 Raptor


Japan plans to develop a prototype of an advanced fighter jet in the hope it will spur the United States to review a ban on selling F-22 fighters, a news report said Tuesday.

But an official of the Defense Ministry said no decision has been reached.

Japan's largest daily, The Yomiuri, said the Defense Ministry plans to request a budget for the next year to build the test model of a stealth fighter jet.

The project is expected to cost billions of yen (hundreds of millions of dollars and euros) over the next 10 years, the report said, without saying where it got its information.

It would be the first time since the 1970s that Japan has developed its own fighters, although the Yomiuri said developing the prototype would not necessarily lead to the actual development of stealth jets.

Japan's agreement with the U.S. to jointly produce F-2 fighter jets ends in 2011, and Tokyo wants to build on the technology base achieved during that relationship, the paper said.

Japan has expressed interest in advanced F-22 fighters. However, the U.S. Congress has repeatedly banned the sale or license of the F-22 "Raptor" to any foreign government, largely to safeguard its advanced technology.

The latest attempt to repeal that ban was shot down in the U.S. Senate earlier this year.

A Defense Ministry spokesman said the ministry has been studying stealth fighters but has not begun considering building a prototype. He also said no decision has been reached regarding the budget request as reported by Yomiuri. The spokesman spoke on condition of anonymity, citing protocol.

The F-22 was originally designed by the U.S. to counter the threat of advanced Soviet Su-27 fighters during the 1980s.

Though that threat has diminished, Japan now is seeking to counter a Chinese fleet of those same fighters.

Yomiuri said by showing interest in building its own fighters, Japan apparently hopes the U.S. might review the current ban and cut prices of the F-22, which costs US$130 million (EUR 94.06 million) a plane.

The report said it is not certain developing the prototype would lead to developing stealth fighter jets in Japan.

Why does Japan need all this when she is protected by USA's nuclear umbrella ?

[moobie]

Japan should just develop their own technology and do whatever the hell they want and ignore the U.S if she gets uppity as usual.

[liaa]

Japan should just develop their own technology and do whatever the hell they want and ignore the U.S if she gets uppity as usual.

What makes you sure japan won't go ballistic and throw a tantrum on asia and cause it trouble again. Until they get it through their thick, hard heads and learn some natural social understanding of related neighbors(can't preserve their japanese culture without asia in the long run) then they aren't too trustworthy. I don't know the how pro-american or pro-white it is in japan right now.

[mikekk86]

What makes you sure japan won't go ballistic and throw a tantrum on asia and cause it trouble again. Until they get it through their thick, hard heads and learn some natural social understanding of related neighbors(can't preserve their japanese culture without asia in the long run) then they aren't too trustworthy. I don't know the how pro-american or pro-white it is in japan right now.

Japan should do what they want.

[moviez]

Japan should do what they want.

So North Korea should also do whatever she wants

[mikekk86]

So North Korea should also do whatever she wants

Sure, go nuts.

[moobie]

What makes you sure japan won't go ballistic and throw a tantrum on asia and cause it trouble again. Until they get it through their thick, hard heads and learn some natural social understanding of related neighbors(can't preserve their japanese culture without asia in the long run) then they aren't too trustworthy. I don't know the how pro-american or pro-white it is in japan right now.

Even the most far-right Japanese politicians know that if they attacked Asia again they'd get invaded and nuked, and then get swarmed by subhuman sex tourists from America.

[ryukyu magic]

Even the most far-right Japanese politicians know that if they attacked Asia again they'd get invaded and nuked, and then get swarmed by subhuman sex tourists from America.

Ehh.. I'd have to think the Japanese Military would not get enough support from her people to even 'start' a War. On the other hand, if they were attacked and had to defend themselves..

[enomosiki]

Why does Japan need all this when she is protected by USA's nuclear umbrella ?

Would you prefer to have nuclear-tipped ballistic missiles being lobbed all over the place instead of a more conventional warfare?

[moviez]

Would you prefer to have nuclear-tipped ballistic missiles being lobbed all over the place instead of a more conventional warfare?

why not ?

[enomosiki]

why not ?

I'm the one who's asking the question. Would you like to provide a proper reason, or do you just have nothing to say but "why not?"

[wonda51]

Japan’s ATD-X Stealth Fighter

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zVZjfmjtIlc


http://aviationweek.typepad.com/ares/2007/...bishi_stea.html

[enomosiki]

Japan’s ATD-X Stealth Fighter

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zVZjfmjtIlc
http://aviationweek.typepad.com/ares/2007/...bishi_stea.html

Looks like a combination of different fighter designs.

F-15 for long snout. (Ability to mount large RADARs.)
Su-27 for canopy. (Wide range of pilot vision.)
F-22 for intakes, overall airframe and tailplanes. (For better overall maneuverability)
F-35 for wings. (For balance between stability, transonic and supersonic performance and maneuverability.)
F-18 for the V-tails. (For better overall maneuverability. F-22 also has the V-tail, but the ATD-X's ones resemble F-18's more due to their narrower spacing.)

3D TVC also looks interesting, although they might want to cover the thing up like the F-22's unless they want the plane to be lit up like a Christmas tree, defeating the purpose of the plane's overall stealth characteristics.

I would've liked if they showed the belly of the plane and find out about roughly what the aircraft's payload is, but they didn't, so I can't even properly guess what and how many weapons it will carry, although the airframe looks spacious enough for 2 AAM-3s and 4 AAM-4s, roughly equivalent to F-22's payload. If it's going to be mounted with a gun, it will probably be mounted at one of the wing roots like the Raptor with a bay door covering it.

This post has been edited by enomosiki: Sep 1 2007, 11:50 PM

[bangaroo]

When did nippono developed their own adv jet fighter?

[Eastern_Knight]

I read that these fighters (F-3?) are almost twice as expensive as a F-22

[HangPC2]

Mitsubishi F3


ATD-X

[BigBenChow]

Maybe it will cost a 2billion dollars a piece. lol.

[Red Fox Ace]

Why does Japan need all this when she is protected by USA's nuclear umbrella ?

Do you really want everything to be an all-or-nothing situation? Japan needs stealth jets for conventional warfare. A nuclear umbrella is useless in conventional warfare, unless you insist on using nukes with severe consequences. Japan's F-4s and F-15s are aging rapidly; they need to be replaced before 2015 with a true air superiority jet.

[Red Fox Ace]

Japan should just develop their own technology and do whatever the hell they want and ignore the U.S if she gets uppity as usual.

True, this is probably Japan's way of twisting the US government's arm for a weapons sale. It is doubtful that Japan would actually build its own jet; more likely, Tokyo is putting pressure on Lockheed Martin and Co. to in turn lobby Congress, otherwise they would lose a potential $20-30 billion killer sale for the Raptor. Lockheed desperately wants to sell the Raptor to Japan.

[Red Fox Ace]

I read that these fighters (F-3?) are almost twice as expensive as a F-22

Could be, depending on how many Japan builds, how capable they are, and how steep the developmental cost is.

Maybe it will cost a 2billion dollars a piece. lol.

You wish. More likely, I'd predict 250-300 million US dollars.