Scott Nicholas
Japan has met with Western defense contractors including Boeing and Lockheed Martin for a potential “next generation” of fighter jets in an effort to enhance the country’s air presence, Reuters reported Tuesday.
Siva Govindasamy writes that Mitsubishi Heavy Industries partnered with Japan’s defense ministry to develop the ATD-X experimental aircraft, whose stealth fighter technologies the country aims to integrate with the future F-3.
Reuters said Japan could potentially begin upgrades to at least 150 of its Boeing F-15J aircraft during the research period for the potential $40 billion F-3 program.
R&D plans for the F-3 program could be in the works by early 2018 in order to secure funding through Japan’s 2018 to 2022 budget and have the new fighter jets enter service by 2030, the report said.
Govindasamy reports that Japan turned to domestic research efforts to update its fighter jet fleet in efforts to establish air superiority amid U.S. refusal to sell the Lockheed-built F-22 to international customers.
