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Enthusiast Joined: Oct 20, 2006 Posts: 96 Status: Offline

In case anyone missed it, the Congressional Research Service recently prepared a briefing on the implications of potential sales of the F-22 to Japan:
http://fpc.state.gov/fpc/87745.htm

Not too much that's new in this review. Unlike the GAO, the CRS tends to avoid making a clear-cut recommendation on these sort of issues. They usually just provide a summary of the facts to help congressional leaders make up their own minds.

I did note, however, a brief mention of a recent Japanese security breach involving sensitive data surrounding the Aegis weapon system (see page 4 of the report).

If the CRS publishes a report, its a sure bet that someone in Congress requested it, and may very likely bring the subject up for debate on the floor of the House or Senate. This looks like it has the makings for being one very messy Congressional debate.

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Enthusiast Joined: Jul 16, 2007 Posts: 38 Status: Offline

First of all, hi, i'm a new user. Anyways, I doubt this sale happening and I am frankly mad at our government for thinking about even exporting this product. Yes, Japan is our ally, but all F-22's should be in our possession. In the hands of a second party, information could be leaked more easily as with Aegis. Also, the F-22 was built in mind for the U.S. only and the F-35 is the plane that's meant to be exported. Also, production line closes in 2011 and by then the USAF should have around 183 planes. I think this is a dead issue anyways as we have already just recently chosen to offer the F-35 to Japan and not the F-22. Here's that article:
http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/20 ... -f-35.html

We need 381 though. The F-22A needs to last for a long time.

F-16.net Editor Joined: Sep 23, 2003 Posts: 2862

It may in fact be a dead issue but USAF asked LM to prepare plans/methods to export F-22 in a "B" flavor, a very very long time ago. They even have a multimedia CDROM that goes through all the tech risk values that any future LOEXCOM board may ask particular to a nation customer. So the idea that F-22 was never intended for export, isn't exactly true.

JSF may in fact end up being the aircraft for any number of obvious reasons but I would be interested if Japan got anything but Block I or Block II software ability tops. It's strike abilities with even Block II but certainly Block III software might be more than the locals would like to see. You are talking about putting a full PGM jet in the hands of a force that still uses a lot of dumb iron and a PGM more times than not to them is an anti-ship missile. Laughing

Also re: the issue of a possible F-4 replacement: Super Hornet won't cut it as the outward bent pylons don't sling dumb iron so well. Kind of a step backward in that respect as the classic Hornet is a dumb iron accuracy champ like the F-16.

With as much money as the U.S. has, I don't think we need to export the F-22. Just my opinion.

Has nothig to do with money. Exports cultivate relationships.

Enthusiast Joined: Jul 16, 2007 Posts: 38 Status: Offline

Japan doesn't need the Raptor though. We have bases in Japan. It would be much easier and safer to just base some F-22's on Okinawa to fend off the Chinese. Japan's military is already more than enough to match China's and even if it wasn't, we have their back so it's a ridiculous argument saying they need F-22's. I think it's that the Japanese want it because of national pride. Some toys are just too good to share and just as we have done with the U-2, SR-71, F-117, B-2, etc., this is a dream aircraft that won't be sold abroad.

The USAF plans to replace the F-15's at Kadena with F-35's, in combination with forward deployed F-22's in Japan, and perhaps in SK along with Japan's own F-35's* there is more than enough capability there to deter anyone, even China. As other have said, they don't need the F-22, I could care less what they want, the F-35 on the other hand is exactly what they need. The Raptor should be treated as a strategic system, ie. B-2, Ohio, etc... No export!

*Assuming Japan purchases the F-35.

Elite 3K Joined: May 10, 2004 Posts: 3098 Status: Offline

I'm probably preaching to the choir here, but I don't think F-22 sales are a good idea. Too much in the way of technology transfer for my taste.

Just imagine if the sale of retired A-12 Blackbirds had gone through to Iran in the 1970s Shocked

!

Here's the letter laying out the proposal:

http://www.roadrunnersinternationale.co ... _iran.html

The same argument was made about selling F-15's to Japan back in the late 70's and early 80's.......

Enthusiast Joined: Jul 16, 2007 Posts: 38 Status: Offline

Pardon my language, but sh*t. I can't believe we even thought about selling Blackbirds to any country, let alone Iran. I am stunned. Thank God, literally, that that sale didn't happen. Imagine the technology Iran could have gotten from A-12's.

Roscoe wrote:

Has nothig to do with money. Exports cultivate relationships.

Which may or may not last Cool

Enthusiast Joined: Jul 16, 2007 Posts: 38 Status: Offline

Corsair, while the F-15 wasn't in the JASDF for a while after the USAF first received theirs, Israel had F-15's a mere year after the F-15 went operational in the USAF and only five years after its first flight. There was also no ban on selling the F-15. The YF-22 first flew in the early 1990's and the current version in the late 90's. It has been more than fifteen years since it's first flight and there hasn't been an export order. The line closes in four years and that's barely enough time for another order to go through. If it was going to be exported, the sale would have to occur very soon. Also, as I stated before, the F-35 is being offered and not the F-22. Unless a major change happens in the next couple of months, the Raptor will only fly with the USAF.

Corsair1963 wrote:

The same argument was made about selling F-15's to Japan back in the late 70's and early 80's.......

And what great feat has that accomplished? Would they not be just as well now if they had purchased 300-400 Vipers?

Well, I certainly hope the U.S. does decide to sell the F-22 to Japan. The country is big on industrial ties and if the U.S. will not sell them what they want, then I'm sure next time they will buy from the European aircraft manufacturers. I can see L/M merging with Boeing then leaving the American military with one aerospace manufacturer.

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Congressional Update - Possible Sale of F-22 to Japan