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Elite Joined: Jul 20, 2005 Posts: 1031 Status: Offline

I agree. I'm guessing we'll see a strong push for more airframes in early '08 sometime.

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Well, looks like we denied Israel access to the Raptor also (fortunately). This article pretty much sums the situation up.
http://www.worldtribune.com/worldtribun ... _08_01.asp

Also, does anyone know the new Japanese majority party's attitude towards the US? I have heard that it's not as friendly as Abe's.

If you have access to Aviation Week, the issue of July 30 discusses this very issue in the lead article. The relate Japanese plans to pursue stealth on their own if not allowed to buy Raptors. The time frame is quite long. The comments of PACOM are also related.

Elite Joined: Jul 22, 2005 Posts: 965 Status: Offline

F-16.net Editor Joined: Sep 23, 2003 Posts: 2833

Don't worry.... Japan doesn't need the F-22. Nor does the southern security anchor: Australia.... Laughing

http://www.afa.org/magazine/Aug2007/0807china.asp

Elp, you are right. The F-35 is formidable against the Su-30's and whatever else China has. There won't be a war anytime soon either. We know what Japan and Australia needs and it's not the Raptor. F-15's have not been lost once in air to air combat. Again, don't fix something that isn't broken. Some planes aren't meant to be exported for certain reasons, like the B-2, SR-71, and now the F-22.

Elite Joined: Aug 02, 2006 Posts: 943 Status: Offline

Loader2088 wrote:

If you have access to Aviation Week, the issue of July 30 discusses this very issue in the lead article. The relate Japanese plans to pursue stealth on their own if not allowed to buy Raptors. The time frame is quite long. The comments of PACOM are also related.

Well... maybe we'll help them customized an F-35 variant or derivative designed for A2A interceptions. A re-winged F-35 with an uprated engine perhaps? They did go the derivative route in partnership with General Dynamics for their F-2 after milling around with a few interesting but abortive concepts.

Elite Joined: Jul 20, 2005 Posts: 1031 Status: Offline

Selling yet another new fighter program to the DoD would be like trying to convince people to jump out of an airplane with no chute.

dwightlooi wrote:

[quote=

Well... maybe we'll help them customized an F-35 variant or derivative designed for A2A interceptions. A re-winged F-35 with an uprated engine perhaps? They did go the derivative route in partnership with General Dynamics for their F-2 after milling around with a few interesting but abortive concepts.

Back in 1999, there was a World Power Air Journal special on the OH-1 scout helicopter being developed by Kawasaki. It said that Japan was unwilling to partner with an American company on that project because of American influence in the FS-X (F-2) project. Paranthetically, I think part of this had to do with American insistence on open competition instead of following the Japanese model which assigns contracts in part to maintain their industrial base. They may therefore be lukewarm in regards to further cooperation on an F-35 derivative.

I like your concept though!

Mike

Elite Joined: Dec 19, 2005 Posts: 659 Status: Offline

bdn12 wrote:

This story suggests to me that this issue of exporting the F-22 is pretty much over now.

http://defensenews.com/story.php?F=2923717&C=airwar

If Japan isn't going to get it and won't buy it, I doubt anyone will.

Its far from over and the odds are in favor of Japan getting the F-22 at some point! Very Happy

A large part of F-22 effectiveness is in its software. When the software was designed, there were relatively few security features. The best way to keep the software from being compromised is to limit access to it, meaning no foreign sales. The software security issue has been addressed for F-35 in a major way, but it would be too expensive to retrofit that capability for F-22.

Elite Joined: Oct 21, 2005 Posts: 757 Status: Offline

Loader2088 wrote:

The relate Japanese plans to pursue stealth on their own if not allowed to buy Raptors. The time frame is quite long.

Ooooo...knock yourself out Japan. Let the whole world know how well your "stealth" fighter development is progressing...

Huh? What's that I hear? Not easy, isn't it. Maybe they'll begin to realize why we don't want to export our very best, even in downgraded form.

sferrin wrote:

LOL! Yeah, no kidding. There is something they can build extremely well; better than anyone IMO:

Elite Joined: Dec 19, 2005 Posts: 659 Status: Offline

Well, Japan's talk of Stealth Designs in just Politics. Geared toward the Politicians in Washington.

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PACOM doesn't Want F-22 sold to Japan