U.S. suggestions of what jet fighter aircraft Japan needs are hard to take seriously. Consider the link to the Reuters story below.
The Super-Hornet is a strike aircraft that happens to have some air-to-air ability. It is the slowest aircraft of its kind. From brake-release to intercept, it is the slowest jet you can try and fit into this competition.
The F-35 was never intended to be a prime home defense interceptor. Like the Super Hornet, it will not be able to stand up against emerging threats in the Pacific Rim.
The Eurofighter Typhoon is the least-worst option for Japan.
The best option? That would be the F-22.
The U.S. has let its allies down by allowing its leadership and common sense in the military aerospace industry wither and then die. If the F-22 is not an option, the U.S. is unable to provide any credible solutions for air supremecy problems.
The hard truth is this; if your fighter aircraft has little chance at beating the F-22, it also has little chance of beating the PAK/FA.
U.S. allies will have to look elsewhere for air power solutions. Korea is.
7 comments:
SK and Japan are going to be the first real test for F35 on the market.
India wasn't really into buying interim F16 to wait for F35.Also India has being buying more and more US equipment (P8,C130) with probably more down the road(C17,Apache...) so it made good sense to buy Euro jets. On the other hand, SK and Japan are very close allies to USA, they face real threats (Nkorea for SK, China/Russia for Japan), are they just going to buy American even if they find out thru trials that F35 is inferior to the other jets? What would happen if PAKFA comes really to play and is such a superior platform to JSF? Does SK or Japan still buy JSF to please Americans, what happens when documents get released/leaked that the inferior jet got selected? Yeah, bet the locals are really going to appreciate that billions are going to be spent on the inferior fighter, anybody believe the politicians are going to risk their careers over that? Come on people, the regular folk don't understand all the niceties of stealth,datalinks,etc ...they are just going to see that F35 is slower,flies less high, less payload than the competition, how does LMT going to explain that away to SK/Japan population?
Last but least, something pro F35 crowd can't just wish away, if the F35 is so superior, than why are SK and Japan doing trials and not just buying BS,ooops, I mean LMT power point presentations? Sure seemed that was enough for Canada, Australia,etc...than why aren't those 2 countries just buying F35 and saving the money on (so called by proF35 crowd) useless trials? Hmmmm, come to think of it, what happens to the other buyers if SK or Japan buys something else like Eurofighter with Meteor or unlikely PAKFA?
The F-15SE might be a good fit for Japan. They already operate the F-15, and it is certainly on par with the tiffy. The F-22 is not happening for Japan, or any other partner.
Japan isn't going to buy previous generation fighter, simply because they already have an ongoing 5th gen. fighter program. (ATDX)
F-35 for japan has same problem as original F-16. It has no range. J-15 and Su-33 has 2-3times the range. F-35 naval capability is also not on the roadmap yet. Nobody can add heavy anti ship weapon of ones choice without spending massive amount of money on weapon integration program. (Even UK gives up trying to integrate their new missile. And that's air to air, instead of extra large antiship missile) If China aircraft carrier program is on second generation in late 20's, F-35 is as useful as a nipple on a bull.
Korea's problem is different. They need close combat air superiority fighter. (against Mig and sukhoi.) F-35 is too expensive and isn't exactly "superior" (Well, provided the program will be completed.)
If Russia announce navalized Pak-Fa program. Game over. Everybody going back to drawing board and think up new design. F-35C isn't going to make it period.
Japan's best answer is to co-develop the ATDX with South Korea.
While the PAK-FA is concerning, their primary issue will be continuing list of advanced combat aircraft being developed by China that they are now facing in some cases everyday.
The F-35 has nether the performance or range to adequately deal with the threats posed by the rapidly developing Chinese military.
http://china-defense.blogspot.com/2011/07/just-bunch-j-10-photos.html
Russia was reportedly proposing a PAK-FA deal to South korea.
Japan could buy PAK-FA without much of the avionics suite, integrate its own (and licensed) avionics components and have a decent fighter.
Russia never have big military development with Japan, unlike Korea. So I doubt they will do it right now.
Korea could be a wild card.
No one has any idea what aircraft is being favored whether it be the F-15SE, F-35, Pak, or Super Hornet.
It just depends on what report got published that week...
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