Forum: General F-16 forum

] I'm just curious why Lt. Gen. M. Hiroaki is a 'former F-15 pilot'?

Technicalities. The translation site mistranslated the rank.
Maehara's a Major General. Also, he's a F-15 pilot who's taking lessons to convert to F-2.

] What happens to Lieutenant Generals when they make an OOPS during a landing?

I guess: more real time in the flight simulator, before the next lesson in the real plane? 8D
But maybe grounded for the next month or three, away from the real plane, while the safety investigation continues?

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http://www.japantoday.com/category/nati ... -at-misawa

"ASDF F-2 fighter jet swerves off runway at Misawa"

Wednesday 24th June, 07:00 AM JST

The accident occurred at around 4:15 p.m. after an F-2 of the 3rd Air Wing based at Misawa landed on the runway amid strong crosswinds, it said. The injured pilot was identified as Maj Mikio Kobayashi. Maj Gen Hiroaki Maehara, commander of the air wing, was the other pilot aboard and was undergoing a training flight at the time, according to the ASDF. It was not immediately clear which pilot was landing the aircraft.

(Reminder: read the comments below that article.)

http://www.asagumo-news.com/news/200907 ... 073007.htm

From 2008 autumn:
New helmet HGU55P/J for F-2 pilots of 3rd and 8th Hikoutai, 3rd Koukuudan, at Misawa AB, Aomori Prefecture. Based on HGU55P of USAF.
Customised for JASDF. For example, visor from HGU68 of USN.
Bought 120 sets, for F-2 and F-15 pilots.

http://www.nikkei.co.jp/news/sangyo/200 ... 82009.html

"Domestic fighter production continuation yellow signal"

20 August 2009:
Before the JASDF F-2 procurement will end in 2011, Lockheed-Martin in 2009 August decides to end the production line that produces parts of the main wings.
Additional purchase orders for F-2 will be difficult.
F-2 production line at Mitsubishi will end in 2011.

Thanks for interesting update, Gamera.

I'm curious if 'Additional purchases' being called difficult would mean those beyond the planned procurement end in 2011? Was it recently a proposal to continue the Mitsubishi line further?

And with specialized short-term, custom production deals set up such as these, are such future spare-part type issues ever calculated in for long-term planning? I assume various wing-related spares would be able to be fabricated in country as needed?

Geo,

While your last post seems to point to a worst case scenario, I have never had to change a wing. Outside of battle damage or severe over G, there would be no need. And considering the JASDF's doctrine, I doubt it would be of concern. You have alot of hypotheticals in your posts, but this one doesn't take much effort to solve. Not to assuage you in anyway of course. Just posting based on experience.

http://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20091 ... -maip-soci

19 October 2009:
20+ domestic makers of F-2 components (fuel tank, tire, windshield glass, &c), including Sumitomo Electric Industries, announced that after F-2 production ends in 2011, they will withdraw from the fighter industry, due to the delay of the decision on the next F-X (F-22, F-35, &c).
Sumitomo Electric Industries is the only domestic maker of radome.

F-2 main contractor is Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, but sub-contractors are 1,100+ companies.
F-4 production ended in 1981. F-15 in 1999. F-2 in 2011.

(IMO, they are soft-pressuring the JMOD to hurry up.)

http://www.asagumo-news.com/news/200911 ... 110506.htm

5 November 2009:
Sumitomo Precision Industries HQ factory, in Amagasaki City, Hyougo Prefecture. Maker of landing gear for JASDF fighters, such as F-2.

>Tuesday, 23 June 2009:
>F-2B.

http://www.nikkansports.com/general/new ... 58753.html
http://mainichi.jp/area/aomori/news/200 ... 8000c.html

2009.10.23:
JASDF announced accident report. Cause was pilot's [Major General Maehara] inexperience with aircraft.

During landing, affected by cross wind from left, pilot shifted aircraft to left, to maintain straight heading.
Pilot depressed brake pedal in incorrect direction, tires side-slipped, and aircraft ran off left side of runway.
He has long experience in F-15, but this was his third flight in F-2.

Instructor pilot's [Major Kobayashi] left wrist lightly wounded.

(Some weeks ago, someone asked me about F-2 decals, so I take another look.
For English interface, click the UK flag in upper right.)

http://www.hobby-shop.jp/products/1784.html

PLATZ 1/48 JASDF F-2B 50th Anniversary of JASDF MATSUSIMA.

http://www.hobby-shop.jp/products/1769.html

PLATZ 1/48 F-2B Stencils.

http://www.hobby-shop.jp/products/1768.html

PLATZ 1/48 F-2A Stencils Decal.

http://www.hobby-shop.jp/products/2997.html

PLATZ 1/72 JASDF F-2A 3WG 50TH ANNIVERSARY DECAL.

http://www.hobby-shop.jp/products/1702.html

PLATZ 1/72 F-2A/B Stencils.

31 July 2009:
Komaki Minami factory, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.
Ceremony of 10,000th new built or repaired aircraft for JMOD, since factory began in 1952.
10,000th aircraft was F-2 93-8553 [#553].

Source:
Koukuu Fan, No. 684, 2009 December, page 130

The F-2 has three display screens, including a liquid crystal display from Yokogawa.

Some differences in the F-2 from the F-16A:

a 25% larger wing area
composite materials used to reduce overall weight and radar signature
longer and wider nose to accommodate a phased-array radar
larger tailplane
larger air intake
three-piece cockpit canopy
capabilities for four ASM-1 or ASM-2 anti-ship missiles, four AAMs, and additional fuel tanks
Also, the F-2 is equipped with a drogue parachute, like the NATO version of the F-16.

http://www.asagumo-news.com/news/201003 ... 031106.htm

3 March 2010:
F-2.
8th Hikoutai, 3rd Koukuudan, JASDF, based at Misawa AB, Aomori Prefecture.
Tasked with alert missions to scramble against bandits and bogeys.
30 September 2008, began to convert from F-4EJ to F-2.
March 2009, completed conversion.
February 2010, completed training, passed ORI [operational readiness inspection], and tasked with alert missions.

March 1991, 3rd Hikoutai, 3rd Koukuudan, was first JASDF hikoutai to convert from F-1 to F-2.
March 1994, after training, tasked with alert missions.
Now, 3rd Koukuudan is only JASDF koukuudan that has two F-2 hikoutai operational.

F-2 assigned to:
3rd Koukuudan, at Aomori.
6th Hikoutai, 8th Koukuudan, at Tsuiki.
21st Hikou Kyouiku Hikoutai, 4th Koukuudan, at Matsushima.
Hikou Jikkendan [ADTW], at Gifu.
Maintenance education material, at 1st Technical School, at Hamamatsu.

How many have been built so far? I assume that it will remain indigenous to Japan, so how many do they plan on building?

27 April 2010:
F-2.
JASDF, based at Misawa AB, Aomori Prefecture.
9:45, during inspection, left and right landing gear retracted, and tail collided with ground.

Male pilot in cockpit, and mechanics around aircraft, were not wounded.

JASDF assessing accident cause and damage. Cause included pilot's possible operation mistake. Landing gear operated by special lever in cockpit.

http://www.nikkansports.com/general/new ... 23009.html

26 April 2010:
T-4.
5th Koukuudan, JASDF, based at Nyuutabaru AB, Miyazaki Prefecture.
11:20, after training, during landing, after aircraft touched down, left wheel detached from left landing gear. Aircraft stopped on runway.
Runway closed one hour 20 minutes.

Two pilots were not wounded.

10:30, took off.

http://www.the-miyanichi.co.jp/contents ... p;catid=74
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/national/news/ ... T01218.htm

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