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

[old_rn]

A nice Light Fleet Carrier

[zerion]

USMC To Fly First F-35B From Japan’s Izumo-Class Aircraft Carriers

U.S. Marine Corps' F-35B STOVL fighters will be the first fixed wing aircraft to fly from Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) Izumo-class "helicopter destroyers", following the conversion of both JS Izumo and JS Kaga into aircraft carriers.

Xavier Vavasseur 21 Aug 2019

According to Japanese newspaper The Asahi Shimbun which revealed the information today, the Japanese government made this request back in March.

It will take about 5 years (from budgeting to deployment) for the F-35B to be fully inducted with the Japan Air Self Defense Force (JASDF). As we reported recently, the “air force” and not the “navy” will be flying the aircraft.
With these factors in mind, the Japanese government made an official request to the USMC. It specifically asked during the meeting “for cooperation and advice on how to operate the fighter on the deck of the modified ships” to which General Neller said he would “help as much as possible”.
In addition, The Asahi Shinbum quoted Japan’s Defense Minister Takeshi Iwaya as saying “The Izumo-class aircraft carrier role is to strengthen the air defense in the Pacific Ocean and to ensure the safety of the Self-Defense Force pilots”. Regarding the possibility of the arrival and departure of US military aircraft, “There may be no runway available for the US aircraft in an emergency. I cannot say that the US F35B should never be placed on an [JMSDF] escort vessel.”...

https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/20 ... -carriers/

[spazsinbad]

There is sadly a two thread repeat of this stuff about F-35Bs & Izumo Class ops: viewtopic.php?f=22&t=20426&p=425556&hilit=Vavasseur#p425556

[spazsinbad]

Japan's In-Service Fighters
28 Aug 2019 Bradley Perrett

"Planning an enlarged acquisition of Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightnings... the ministry is counting savings of ¥4.9 billion ($46 million per aircraft) from switching to full importation from local final assembly....

...Twenty-seven F-35As, including the last eight from the 2011 plan, and 18 “STOVL fighters” will be bought in the five-year acquisition planning period that began in fiscal 2019. The aircraft will be delivered in fiscal 2023-27, the ministry said. Since only six have been ordered in the current year, maintaining the previous rate of delivery, the pace will have to pick up to almost 10 a year on average in fiscal 2020-23. But the exact number will be determined annually, as is usual in Japanese military procurement....

…[F-35B] aircraft will sometimes go to sea aboard the helicopter carriers Izumo and Kaga, which will be modified for the purpose. But the STOVL fighters will be acquired for the air force, not the navy.…"

Source: https://aviationweek.com/asia-aerospace ... e-fighters

[doge]

https://aviationweek.com/awindefense/f- ... chief-says

F-35 Better Than Expected, Ex-Japanese Air Chief Says
Nov 20, 2019Bradley Perrett | Aerospace Daily & Defense Report
TOKYO—The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning is proving to be unexpectedly useful to Japan, particularly in gathering information, according to a former head of the Japanese air force. “F-35 capability is beyond our expectations,” the former chief, Gen. Shigeru Iwasaki, told a conference at the DSEI Japan exhibition here. “For example, the ballistic-missile defense function can be implemented,” he said through an interpreter. That function involves F-35s detecting ...

I searched for Full Text text in the expectation that someone was posting the Full Text somewhere on the web, but there was no Full Text posted anywhere and the Full Text was not found.
But instead, I found a post on China SNS where something similar was written.
https://m.weibo.cn/status/4441088137523050 (Language is Chinese. I used Google translation.)

Introduction to the use of Japan's F-35A by the former coordinator
At the DSEI 2019 held in Chiba, the former general manager, Iwasaki, confirmed the ability of Japan's F-35A.
Iwasaki said: The F-35A is very useful to Japan, especially in terms of intelligence gathering.
The F-35's ability exceeded our expectations. For example, we can achieve ballistic missile defense capabilities, including the ability to detect long-range ballistic missiles.
It is also said that the F-35A has better endurance than the F-15J, which is one reason for using lightning to collect intelligence.
Many AWACS tasks can be completed by the F-35 in the future.
The chief of staff did not give specific figures on the endurance, and Lockheed Martin did not publish any version of the F-35. But we have reason to believe that its flight time should be longer than the F-15J.
The F-35A has 8.3 tons (18,300 pounds) of internal fuel, while the F-15C is based on 6.1 tons. Boeing fighters can carry more external fuel – but at the expense of increased drag. The F-35A has an empty weight of 13.3 tons, similar to the F-15J, but the sensors and weapons are carried internally to minimize drag.
The F-35A has one engine instead of two, and because of the much higher thrust load, it is assumed that the thrust is generally used when flying. The efficiency drop of an aviation gas turbine at low thrust will be low.

[zerion]

Leaked photo: General Atomics offers possible Japenese helicopter destroyer conversion into aircraft carrier



https://defence-blog.com/news/leaked-ph ... rrier.html

[krieger22]

Yeah that deck park looks like something especially compatible with Catapult 1... there is zero usable deck park space for anything with that design.

With changes that drastic it would be cheaper to build a new carrier instead of "upgrading" an Izumo into this monstrosity.

[spazsinbad]

We have been told officially that the IZUMO Class was designed for carrier F-35B use eventually, no need for F-35Cs at all.

BTW the GA Graphic about 'conversion of IZUMO class for F-35C' reminds me of the problems of simultaneous operation of 'arrest & catapult' aboard HMAS Melbourne eons ago now. 'Twas not possible because the landing area foul line impinged over catapult hold back/start area. FLY ONE stbd of said single catapult was tiny. Thank goodness A4Gs were 'tinker toys'.

[madrat]

I was thinking about improving F-35B takeoff weights. Instead of a catapult, it would be possible perhaps to use electric motor and/or flywheel technology to push rather than pull the aircraft on takeoff. A special built centerline attachment that detaches and brakes before the aircraft leaves the deck. It doesn't have to reach catapult equivalent levels, just boost the safe takeoff weights about 15% with a unit cost under $25,000.00 would be within reason.

[hythelday]

I was thinking about improving F-35B takeoff weights. Instead of a catapult, it would be possible perhaps to use electric motor and/or flywheel technology to push rather than pull the aircraft on takeoff. A special built centerline attachment that detaches and brakes before the aircraft leaves the deck. It doesn't have to reach catapult equivalent levels, just boost the safe takeoff weights about 15% with a unit cost under $25,000.00 would be within reason.

I don't think inventing an entirely new assisted take-off technology for two ships "with a unit cost under $25,000.00" would be within reason anywhere but Soviet-style sharaga prisons where aerospace engineers were invited to work for the benefit of the state.

[zero-one]

Quick question,
Can the Queen Elizabeth class launch heavier B models due to the Ski jump?
Is it worth the investment or is it much more complex than it looks?
figured it should be easy for Marine Carriers to adopt it. But I'm sure they and the Japanese have a perfectly reasonable reason as to why it wasn't considered

[spazsinbad]

Quick question, Can the Queen Elizabeth class launch heavier B models due to the Ski jump?
Is it worth the investment or is it much more complex than it looks? figured it should be easy for Marine Carriers to adopt it. But I'm sure they and the Japanese have a perfectly reasonable reason as to why it wasn't considered

QUICK ANSWER: has been provided a few times and YES. The CVFs are designed to be able to STO a UK defined Max All Up Weight (load specified) using available deck and ski jump (WOD & temp not specified). USMC comfortable with theirs.

"...maximum weapon payload of 6 Paveway IV, 2 AIM-120C AMRAAM, 2 AIM-132 ASRAAM and a missionised 25mm gun pod...." http://www.raf.mod.uk/equipment/f35join ... ighter.cfm (no longer available?)

LONG post with details: viewtopic.php?f=22&t=53673&p=382315&hilit=f35jointstrikefighter#p382315

Why USMC no ski jump? QUICK ANSWER has been provided several times here but only the quick answer - don't want it because space taken by a ski jump is needed for other activities. LHAs are for mixed USMC ops - CVFs less mixed and designed for the F-35B - that is why CVF so good for F-35B ops & SRVLS - CVF designed for the F-35B as known at the time.

[zero-one]

Thanks, I think there may be something wrong with my profile as I cannot use the custom search function on this site.
I tried using other machines and logging out, but I nothing comes up. Anybody else have this issue?

[Corsair1963]

Japan reverses course on F-35, will continue assembly at home

Tokyo ends plan to import finished jets from US as Mitsubishi Heavy cuts costs


TOKYO -- Japan intends to continue assembling F-35 stealth fighters domestically, reversing plans to import the finished aircraft from the U.S., Nikkei has learned.

Since Tokyo adopted the F-35A fighter jet in fiscal 2011 under the U.S. Foreign Military Sales program, Japan's Mitsubishi Heavy Industries has assembled and conducted final checks on aircraft sold to the country by Lockheed Martin.

But the costly process prompted a decision by Tokyo to import finished F-35s starting with new contracts made in fiscal 2019, which began in April. Japan's cabinet approved plans at the end of 2018 to buy another 105 F-35s, including 42 F-35Bs, which are capable of short takeoffs and vertical landings.

However, Tokyo looks to reverse that decision after Mitsubishi Heavy revamped its assembly process to reduce costs.

Finishing one F-35 in Japan is now expected to cost 9.37 billion yen ($86.3 million), compared with 9.42 billion yen to ship the plane from the U.S., according to Japan's Defense Ministry. The cabinet is expected to approve the domestic production plan soon.

The F-35 represents a key model for Japan's Air Self-Defense Force. Big orders could alleviate U.S. President Donald Trump's concerns over bilateral trade imbalances, even if the final assembly is done in Japan. In May, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe showed Trump around the Kaga, a Maritime Self-Defense Force vessel slated to serve as the carrier for F-35Bs.

Both governments are agreed on the production plan, sources familiar with the matter said.

https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Aerosp ... _9-5wHO0B8

[notkent]

Yeah had me worried - I thought he was referring to GANGNAM STYLE but here is some 'related material to the ISLANDS.

Japan’s government to buy Mageshima island and let USN pilots practice carrier landings
30 Nov 2018 ALERT5

“The Japanese government is close to buying Mageshima island in Kagoshima Prefecture and will convert it into an airfield for U.S. Navy pilots to carry out Field Carrier Landing Practice. The negotiations started in 2016 and talks dragged on due to disagreement over the price. There are also plans to shift USMC MV-22B training to Mageshima island in future.”

Japan has completed the purchase of the island

https://www.businessinsider.com/japan-s ... ma-2019-12

The Japanese government has completed the 16 billion yen (US$146 million) purchase of an uninhabited island between Kyushu and Okinawa prefecture which it plans to develop into a training base for Japanese and US military aircraft.

The government reached an agreement with Tokyo-based developer Taston Airport in January to buy the 8.2 sq km island for 4.5 billion yen. That deal collapsed in May when a new president of the company took over and demanded more money. The government agreed to increase its offer after taking into account the money Taston had invested.