JASDF may be in the market for more F-35s

[popcorn]

Japan has the potential to be the 2nd largest F-35 user. A lot depends on how seriously they pursue their indigenous 5Gen design which looks to be optimized to the interceptor role.

[spazsinbad]

ATD-X Emerges Amid Japanese Fighter Choices
24 Jul 2014 Bradley Perrett | Aviation Week & Space Technology

"Japan has rolled out its ATD-X Shinshin fighter technology demonstrator, is considering buying more Lockheed Martin F-35s and will decide within four years whether it will develop its next combat aircraft alone or with a foreign partner....

...Japan will need more fighters than the 42 F-35s that in late 2011 it decided to order as replacements for more than 70 F-4EJ Kai and RF-4E fighters built mostly in the 1970s. Of 201 F-15J and F-15DJ fighters in the inventory, only 88 are to be upgraded with a more reliable radar and Mitsubishi Electric AAM-4B air-to-air missiles. The unmodernized aircraft are therefore candidates for replacement in the next decade.

But Lockheed Martin may receive an order for a few more F-35s before that issue arises. After a visit to the F-35 factory on July 8, Onodera said Japan should consider buying more F-35s if the cost of the aircraft falls. The Jiji news agency quotes unnamed defense officials who go further, saying that the ministry will watch price movements and see whether they can add several F-35s to the existing plan—evidently, the F-4 replacement plan, the F-X program.

It is not clear whether Onodera meant that if the 42 F-35s turn out to be cheaper than expected, then Japan may increase its order to fully use its budget allocation, or if he meant that a fall in price as F-35 production proceeds could induce Japan to spend more. Tokyo is buying F-35s under the Foreign Military Sales program, so it pays the same price as the U.S., plus an administration fee.

Tension with China over the Senkaku or Diaoyu islands must be encouraging the minister to consider boosting the fighter force. Last October, he seemed to entertain a suggestion for more F-15 upgrades. A member of the Diet, citing gloomy results of simulated air combat over the islands, called for 99 more to be modernized. Onodera replied: “That is a good point. Our ministry is doing a capability assessment. We are now introducing the F-35A..."

Source: http://aviationweek.com/defense/atd-x-e ... er-choices

[popcorn]

Just means more revenue for NG I suppose.
http://ajw.asahi.com/article/behind_new ... 1408040032
Mitsubishi Heavy won't supply parts for F-35 fighter project
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. decided not to supply parts to an international project to manufacture F-35 stealth fighters for the second straight year because of a disagreement with the Defense Ministry over investment.

Mitsubishi Heavy was expected to supply the body for F-35s in fiscal 2015, part of the government-led project to promote Japanese participation in an international project to produce an advanced fighter aircraft for the first time.

Mitsubishi Heavy estimated it needed nearly 10 billion yen ($97.4 million) in investment for plant and equipment to meet plans to annually produce 24 F-35s for Japan’s Self-Defense Forces and foreign militaries.

The company asked the government to shoulder the investment required to produce the fighters for foreign clients, but the Defense Ministry refused, ministry sources said.

[KamenRiderBlade]

Just means more revenue for NG I suppose.
http://ajw.asahi.com/article/behind_new ... 1408040032
Mitsubishi Heavy won't supply parts for F-35 fighter project
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. decided not to supply parts to an international project to manufacture F-35 stealth fighters for the second straight year because of a disagreement with the Defense Ministry over investment.

Mitsubishi Heavy was expected to supply the body for F-35s in fiscal 2015, part of the government-led project to promote Japanese participation in an international project to produce an advanced fighter aircraft for the first time.

Mitsubishi Heavy estimated it needed nearly 10 billion yen ($97.4 million) in investment for plant and equipment to meet plans to annually produce 24 F-35s for Japan’s Self-Defense Forces and foreign militaries.

The company asked the government to shoulder the investment required to produce the fighters for foreign clients, but the Defense Ministry refused, ministry sources said.

NG?

[newmanfrigan]

Northrop Grumman

[Corsair1963]

Clearly, Japan plans on purchasing more F-35's to replace at least some of the F-15J's. As it really has no other viable option.

[spazsinbad]

MHI's F-35 build plans at risk
04 Aug 2014 Jon Grevatt, IHS Jane's Defence Industry

"Mitsubishi Heavy Industries' (MHI's) plan to manufacture components for the international Lockheed Martin F-35 programme is reportedly at risk because the company has not received a commitment from the Japanese government to subsidise the production programme.

Japanese media reported on 5 August that MHI was seeking nearly JPY10 billion (USD97.5 million) from the government to help meet the cost of producing the international F-35 fuselage components. These would be integrated onto the aircraft by BAE Systems, a principal sub-contractor on the F-35 programme responsible for the design and delivery of F-35 aft fuselage and empennage.

Reports claimed the Japanese Ministry of Defence (MoD) refused to subsidise the programme and that MHI was now considering a move to supply the parts to BAE Systems under a separate consortium agreement involving undisclosed partners...."

Source: http://www.janes.com/article/41535/mhi- ... ns-at-risk

[spazsinbad]

Japanese whitepaper highlights industrial role of F-35A
04 Aug 2014 Greg Waldron

"Japan’s annual defence whitepaper underlines the importance Tokyo places on the industrial participation aspects of the Lockheed Martin F-35A programme, and casts a wary eye on airpower developments in China....

...In regard to specific weapons programmes, the report places strong emphasis on Japan’s F-35A acquisition. It notes that Japanese companies have been working to develop the manufacturing processes related to Tokyo’s 2011 decision to obtain 42 F-35As.

“It is important for Japanese companies to participate in the manufacturing process and to come into contact with cutting edge fighter aircraft technology and knowledge in order to ensure safety and high operational availability, resulting in the safe and efficient management of [Japan Air Self Defense Force] F-35As,” says the report.

“Following discussions with related parties such as the U.S. government, the participation of Japanese companies in the final assembly and check out (FACO) for airframe and the manufacture of certain engine and radar parts was decided in FY2013. In FY2014, the companies plan to further participate in the manufacturing process, in the engine FACO and the production of parts within the infrared detection device, the electro-optical distributed aperture system (EODAS).”...

...At the Singapore air show in February 2014, Lockheed Martin told Flightglobal that it and Mitsubishi were deep in the process of developing the Japan FACO. Japan’s first four F-35As will be produced at Lockheed’s Dallas-Fort Worth factory with deliveries to commence from the second quarter of 2016. The remaining 38 will be produced in Japan.

Source: http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articl ... 5a-402378/

[Corsair1963]

Japan will need at very least 100 more F-35's just to replace the non-upgraded F-15J's. Which, would be past the already planned on 42 F-35A's to replace the F-4EJ's. My guess is in the end Japan will order over 200 F-35A's and possibly a number of F-35B's. (IMO)

[spazsinbad]

Ministry to seek funding for remote island defense
18 Aug 2014

"Japan's Defense Ministry will request fiscal funding to bolster its capabilities to defend the nation's remote islands....

...The ministry hopes to improve its capabilities to quickly respond to any invasion of remote islands and retake them.

The ministry will ask for financing to buy 5 Osprey transport aircraft, amphibious vehicles and about 5 next-generation F-35 fighter jets.

The ministry also aims to strengthen its mobility capabilities and surveillance activities...."

Source: http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/ ... 18_01.html

[popcorn]

Hmm.. 5 X F-35s in the context of an amphibious force including Ospreys... interesting..brings mind recent USMC exercises exploring the potential of an all-STOVL force. Coincidence?

[Corsair1963]

Sounds like they maybe referring to the F-35B???

[popcorn]

Sounds like they maybe referring to the F-35B???

There was an article some months back suggesting a scenario with JASDF F-35Bs being operated out of dispersed island bases close to disputed areas. Struck me as similar to how the Corps is thinking, leveraging basing flexibility to complicate matters for any potential foe.

[Corsair1963]

Well what better deterrent to China. Than the possibility that the JASDF may have F-35B's remotely based anywhere!

[spazsinbad]

Japanese Advance Plans For Another Air-Capable Assault Ship
19 Aug 2014 Bradley Perrett | Aviation Week & Space Technology

"...The defense ministry’s loose specification requires a “multirole ship [or ships] capable of command and control, large-scale transportation and aviation use for amphibious operations.” Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera said on July 8 he would accelerate planning for the program. The plan now looks quite firm.

Onodera and other officials inspected USS Makin Island in San Diego on July 7. The choice of that Wasp-class ship, with a full-length flight deck, reinforces expectations that Japan wants a design with excellent aviation facilities, potentially supporting the short-takeoff and vertical-landing version of the Lockheed Martin Lightning, the F-35B.

A flat-topped assault ship is not an aircraft carrier, but designers can work in more aviation features than required for amphibious landings, some of which need not be immediately revealed. Moreover, the obfuscating talents of Japanese officialdom could be harnessed to play down a ship’s capacity for tactical airpower.

There would be at least one telltale sign, however. While a ski-jump can be explained as a mere convenience for allies’ F-35Bs, large ships built mainly for amphibious landings never have high speed; they need to devote volume to storage and accommodation rather than unnecessarily powerful machinery. The Osumis are designed for 22 kt., the U.S. Navy’s standard for amphibious shipping, while the combat units of the Japanese navy are generally capable of 30 kt.

The Japanese may see an interesting precedent in the 27,500-metric-ton Italian ship Cavour, which was designed mainly as a carrier with considerable transport capacity. It has loading ramps, troop accommodation and a hangar deck strong enough to accept army vehicles, even tanks. The ship is also capable of 28 kt., partly thanks to the omission of a dock for landing craft, a usual feature of assault ships.

The construction timetable implied by Jiji’s report looks feasible. IHI Marine United built the two Hyuga-class helicopter carriers in time for commissioning in 2007 and 2009, showing that the industry could handle a two-year interval between large warships. Two Izumo-class helicopter carriers are planned, with the first probably due for commissioning in 2015 and the second possibly in 2017, each after three years of construction. If a design for an assault ship of comparable size can be ready for construction to begin in 2016, then the industry should be able to complete it by 2019.

The vessel may be given a designation less aggressive than “assault ship,” says the Asahi newspaper. The disaster relief function could be emphasized, it says.

Despite that, the ministry of defense plans to study assault-ship operations by the U.S. Navy and Royal Navy, neither of which is noted for giving such vessels a primary function of disaster relief. Rather, the main role of their amphibious shipping is, unambiguously, power projection."

Source: http://aviationweek.com/defense/japanes ... sault-ship