Japan Is About To Scrap Its Own Homegrown Fighter Jet

Popular Mechanics: Japan May Scrap Its Homegrown Fighter Jet

Tokyo is reportedly looking to modify a Western jet for its own purposes, probably the F-35.

Japan’s program to build its first homegrown fighter jet since World War II is reportedly dead, a victim of sky-high costs. Instead, the country will try to develop a local version of an existing fighter, a strategy that has had decidedly mixed results in the past. All of this is taking place in the shadow of two troubling trends: Japan's aging fighter fleet and a newly aggressive Chinese air force.

The Yomiuri Shimbun reports that Japan would scrap its stealth fighter jet program, the Advanced Technology Demonstrator-Experimental (ATD-X). ATD-X produced a single developmental aircraft, known as X-2, to test key fighter technologies. But the staggering cost of fully developing a modern fighter jet, complete with engine, avionics, advanced weapons, and stealth technology, dampened Tokyo’s enthusiasm for the project.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: The costs of developing your own modern fighter jet are staggering .... a fact that the Japanese have appeared to learn.

Japan Unveils Its New 5th Generation Stealth Fighter Jet

The Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Advanced Technology Demonstrator - Experimental (ATD-X) fifth-generation fighter technology demonstrator being presented to Japanese media on 28 January. A first flight is expected shortly. Source: JiJi Press/YouTube

The Diplomat: Japan Unveils New 5th Generation Stealth Fighter Jet

Tokyo’s first domestically produced stealth fighter prototype was unveiled to the media this week.

This Thursday, Japan’s new Acquisition, Technology and Logistics Agency revealed the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Advanced Technology Demonstrator – Experimental (ATD-X) fifth-generation fighter technology demonstrator, now dubbed X-2 and unofficially named ‘ShinShin,’ to the media at a heavily guarded hangar at a regional airport near the city of Komaki, in Aichi Prefecture. It has previously been showcased once already in May 2014.

The X-2 is the country’s first domestically produced full-scale test model—a technology demonstrator—of a new indigenous stealth fighter jet design, which has been under development at a Mitsubishi Heavy Industries plant in Toyoyama since 2009, with total program costs estimated at 39.4 billion yen (around $331 million).

Read more ....

More News On Japan Unveiling Its New 5th Generation Stealth Fighter Jet

ATD-X to spur Japan’s advanced fighter research -- Flight Global
Japan prepares for ATD-X maiden flight -- IHS Jane's 360
Japan's X-2 Aircraft Could Join the World Stealth Fighter Race -- Defense World
Japan's 5th Generation Stealth Fighter to Take Off Next Month -- Sputnik
Japan’s 5th Generation Stealth Fighter to Make Maiden Flight in Early 2016 -- Next Big Future

Japan's New Stealth Fighter ATD-X Takes Shape

ATD-X

We’ve Spotted Japan’s New Stealth Fighter -- Thomas Newdick, War Is Boring

ATD-X makes its first appearance as Tokyo’s warplane plans advance

Japan is working on a homegrown stealth fighter. It’s called the ATD-X. And we apparently just got our first glimpse of the prototype.

In mid-June, a blurry photo appeared on a Chinese Internet forum, purporting to depict the first ATD-X demonstrator aircraft outside a hangar in Tokyo.

The Japanese government hopes to develop the ATD-X into the frontline F-3 fighter to replace its Boeing F-15Js. Tokyo is also procuring the American-made F-35A Lightning II stealth fighter as a replacement for older F-4EJ Phantom IIs.

Tokyo plans to build 38 of the 42 Lockheed Martin F-35s itself and acquire the other four from the American factory. The total cost to Japan is $8 billion. Manufacturing the jets on the home islands should help sustain the domestic aerospace industry—specifically, fighter-maker Mitsubishi.

The ATD-X offers similar industrial benefits. But there’s a clear military rationale, as well.

Read more ....

My Comment: Unlike the U.S. .... it appears that the Japanese do not want all of their eggs in one basket (i.e. the F-35 fighter).