Japanese New Fighter Jet - The Mitsubishi F-X (informally called the F-3) is a sixth-generation stealth fighter developed for the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF). It was the first Japanese-built stealth fighter jet and would replace the Mitsubishi F-2 by the mid-1930s.

Its development is also due to changes in Japan's defense posture, strengthening the country's defense industry and improving the international arms market.

Japanese New Fighter Jet

Japanese New Fighter Jet

On December 9, 2022, the governments of Japan, the United Kingdom, and Italy jointly announced that they would develop and deploy a common fighter under a project called the Global Combat Air Program (GCAP); Merger of the latter two countries with BAE Systems' Tempest development with FX.

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In Japan, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries will be the prime contractor, IHI Corporation will handle the motors, and Mitsubishi Electronics the electronics. In the UK, BAE Systems will operate aircraft, Rolls-Royce engines and Leonardo UK electronics. Leonardo S.p.A. And Avio Aero will participate in development from Italy, and MBDA will also participate in missile development. By approximately 2024, detailed development and cost sharing will be clarified for each company, and production will begin around 2030, with the first aircraft deployed in 2035. In addition, joint development with the United States will begin in fiscal year 2023 with the F-3 aerial unmanned aerial vehicle.

The F-X program began when the United States banned the export of the Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor as part of the 1997 OBE AMDMT to protect its technology.

As Japan could no longer afford the F-22, an indigenously developed fighter was chosen to replace Japan's aging fighter fleet. Between December 2009 and August 2010, the Ministry of Defense (MoD) conducted a study on developing a future fighter jet to replace the F-2.

A new fighter jet has been called for a generation ahead of the current fifth-generation fighters.

F 35 Japan

The concept fighter was called the i3 fighter (Informed, Intelligt, Instantaneous). Some of the technologies and capabilities that the concept fighter should have include advanced radar systems to counter the stealth technology of other fighters, use of other platforms (drones, fighter and/or airborne early warning and control aircraft), on-the-fly optics (Kawasaki P-1- (similar to) to process information faster, stealth technology, gallium nitride semiconductors to improve radar performance and a new, more powerful engine.

Much of the development of the FX program was related to the development of the Mitsubishi X-2 Shinshin. The development of the X-2 demonstrator allowed Japan to obtain new information and develop new technologies for their next generation fighter jet. X-2 made its maiden flight on April 22, 2016. Testing of the X-2 ended in March 2018.

In conjunction with the development and testing of the X-2, various studies regarding the F-X were evaluated. This research and testing continued as Japan sought international cooperation in F-X.

Japanese New Fighter Jet

Simulate internal weapons separation from weapons bays to study aerodynamic forces acting on mounted objects at transonic and supersonic speeds.

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The integrated saucers were flight tested in mid-September 2019 for use on the F-X. The ssors were tested on an F-2 fighter and the results were reported to be good.

In March 2017, Japan and the United Kingdom signed an agreement to explore the possibility of building a future fighter jet.

In March 2018, a representative of the Ministry of Defense said that the Japanese government was deciding whether to develop the F-X domestically, through joint development, or to develop it based on existing fighter designs. At that time, the Japanese government offered the United States and the United Kingdom their participation in the project.

Fighter Units Of The Japan Air Self Defense Force

Boeing, Lockheed Martin, BAE Systems and Northrop Grumman responded to the proposal. Boeing has reportedly offered an upgraded fighter based on their F-15, while BAE Systems has similarly offered their Eurofighter Typhoon.

Lockheed Martin has proposed an F-22/35 hybrid fighter that would give most of the fighter development and production to Japan.

Japan and the UK also explored the possibility of collaborating in some way on Project FX with Project Tempest.

Japanese New Fighter Jet

By October 2018, the Ministry of Defense began ruling out the possibility of developing a fighter based on existing designs. Boeing's F-15 and BAE Systems' Eurofighter Typhoon reportedly failed to meet the ministry's requirements.

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Lockheed Martin's hybrid stealth fighter also faced skepticism due to its high price, as well as uncertainty that the US would allow sales due to the F-22 export ban.

In early February 2019, the MoD announced that a "Japan-led" future fighter program would be launched, with collaboration with foreign defense contractors still an option. The additional force's announcement that it plans to build or build foreign-made combat aircraft locally has been scrapped. Additionally, the program will prioritize domestic industry to develop and manufacture stealth fighters. The program will be in line with the MoD's Medium Term Defense Program between 2019 and 2023 and will take 15 years to complete; At about that time the F-2 began to retreat.

On 21 August 2019, the MoD announced that development of the stealth fighter would begin between April and December 2020 as per the FY 2020 defense budget. The funding that the MoD gets will be used to initiate the war programme

As of December 2019, the Ministry of Defense has secured 11.1 billion yen for the FY2020 defense budget to launch the program.

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A total of ¥28 billion is used to fund F-X development for the 2020 fiscal year. Of the total budget, 16.9 billion yen (60%) is used for research projects, while the remaining 11.1 billion yen (40%) is used for commissioning. Initiate program and conceptual design. It was within the FY 2020 defense budget that a new conceptual image of the stealth fighter was released and the program name was officially changed from 'Future Fighter' to 'F-X'.

On March 27, 2020, Japan rejected the design proposed by Lockheed Martin, Boeing and BAE Systems. The projects submitted by the three defense contractors include: an F-22/35 hybrid fighter, a project based on the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and another based on the Eurofighter Typhoon, respectively. According to an Acquisition, Technology and Logistics AGC (ATLA) official the designs did not meet their requirements and no decision was made on the airframe design. The decision puts Mitsubishi Heavy Industries at the forefront of stealth fighter development. However, the decision did not rule out the possibility of international cooperation; Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Northrop Grumman and BAE Systems are still listed as potential partners.

This decision was further confirmed by Jane's. An ATLA spokesman said that "the 'developing derivatives of existing fighters' option cannot be a candidate from a Japanese-led development perspective, and the MoD has concluded that we will develop a new model". The spokesperson also explained that the MoD has likely developed enough technology to develop F-X internally, but the option of international collaboration still exists.

Japanese New Fighter Jet

On April 1, 2020, ATLA established a dedicated team to develop the F-X. The team consisted of 30 JASDF officers, engineering officers and others, led by a major general of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF).

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, the Ministry of Defense expects production of the first fighter prototype to begin in 2024, with flight testing beginning in 2028. Full-scale production is expected to begin by 2031.

In June 2021, Japan said it was in talks with British officials about collaborating with Rolls-Royce on engine development.

The F-X is a twin-engine stealth fighter designed to achieve air superiority. According to Japanese Ministry of Defense terminology, the technology and capabilities possessed by the F-X would classify it as a sixth-generation fighter jet.

The F-X is said to be larger than the F-22, which earned the nickname "Godzilla" by Bradley Perrett in Aviation Week. The large size indicates that the MoD wants the aircraft to have a very long range and large payload capacity. Technology tested in the X-2 technology demonstrator will likely be incorporated into the FX fighter.

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Defense Minister Taro Kono said the F-X will have stronger network capabilities and carry more missiles than the F-35.

FX's conceptual designs were realized through a 3-D digital mock-up system. The design is based on the assumed function and performance of the F-X and is installed in a research combat/flight simulator developed by the Technical Research Division. Data on avionics, stealth and gene characteristics are fed into the simulator and tested by JASDF pilots. Mock-up design performance and improvements are measured through air-to-air combat simulations.

Compared to its predecessor, the F-X replaces the use of conventional hydraulic systems with electric actuators. According to the MoD assessment, the reason for choosing electric actuators over hydraulic systems was the complexity of designing the stealth fighter's interior. When designing an aircraft's stealth form, internal weapons bays and intake air ducts must be taken into account. However, problems with plumbing pipe installation have arisen due to various design considerations; such as stiffness and length. The

Japanese New Fighter Jet

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