If you think kobe steak is expensive, you should see what the Japanese MoD has an appetite for:
Top Japanese military officials are quietly but firmly insisting they want the U.S. to release the F-22 to compete for the air force’s F-X fighter program, and are adamant about fielding the most advanced air-combat technology available.
Tokyo wants a stealthy fighter equipped with an active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar for cruise missile detection and wide-band data links to push additional information into Japan’s increasingly sophisticated air defense system. For the moment, only the Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor offers all these features.
I wouldn’t mind getting my hands on one myself, but for the Japanese it’s less a matter of preference than it is proximity – and pride:
What may change the formula is the growing awareness of cruise missile technology proliferation and the fact that little attention has been paid to fielding cruise missile defenses in Japan, which is only a few hundred miles from North Korea and China and would be the most vulnerable from a surprise attack.
“Once the Japanese politicians realize that it’s a matter of national survival, not just national pride, it could generate support outside the Japanese Self-Defense Force,” the industry official says.
Industry can always be relied upon to support the notion of selling more fighters, while unit costs to the Air Force are reduced through foreign military sales, potentially resulting in greater airframe purchases against the same budget.
While there are always concerns about the export of top-tech gear, there are strategies to deal with those concerns: Most of the groovier capabilities these days exists inside mission computer software, rather than hardware and it’s well within the do-able range to modify software releases for allies and place tamper-proof lockouts elsewhere. On the other hand, one could certainly argue that an active, electronically-scanned array radar and stealth technology involving both wing design and radar absorbent materials pushes the margins of what has been exported out significantly.
Australia went with the SuperHornet as a bridge to the much more affordable (and stealthy) F-35 Joint Strike Fighter rather than purchase F-22 Raptors at $120 million per copy, but Japan isn’t interested in bridging technology.
If the export concerns can’t be overcome there will always be an alternative path for the MoD to pursue:
The Eurofighter Typhoon is already being pitched for Japan. A variant fitted with an active “E-scan” radar array and the Meteor rocket-ramjet radar-guided air-to-air missile would offer a capable air superiority platform.
It’s the eternal challenge for tech-oriented force: Trying to affordably stay one step ahead, while keeping your allies on side from both a political and industrial standpoint.
It’ll be interesting to see where this one goes.
Maybe they would be interested in some of the fashionable T-34c Turbomentors, I hear the DoD is having a yard sale at the end of FY2008.
Only problem I see with this is that Japan is one of the few countries with the capability to exploit the technology of the F-22. If you sell them the aircraft with the reduced capability software, how long do you think that it will take them to write their own software restoring or even improving on these capabilities. I keep remembering Japan selling machine technology to the old Soviet Union that enabled the Soviets to make a leap in their submarine propellor technology.
It will be intersting to see if the Japanese will simply be content to buy the aircaft or whether they will want to produce under a license arrangement. The problem will be in control of the technology and the long term sustainabity for them.
I know the F-22′s have been going anywhere and everywhere during their Kadena deployment.
re- “Tokyo wants a stealthy fighter equipped with an active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar for cruise missile detection …”
Ain’t there cheaper ways to accomplish that mission vice having a bunch o’expensive fighteres shining thar 120 degree soda straws?
A Raptor for 120 million? I thought they were 180-200 mil. At 120 million it’s competitive with a 75-85 million SuperHornet!
Although the Japaneses have a world class electronics industry why not buy an off the shelf/per unit price aircraft you really want. They do have an F-15 fighter culture as did USAF Raptor fans so this is a logical progression. Meanwhile, all the non-recurring engineering costs and national angst was expended by us creating Raptor, whereas the Japanese just reap the benefits. Gain without all the pain. Smart.
Of course, to do the same we would have to go “off planet”, (yes I’m knowingly ignoring Typhoon) but I don’t want to sound like an arrogant American in light of all those psycho-cultural anthropolological posts/comments of the last cuppla. LOL.
b2
Aren’t these the guys who lost the Aegis plans last month?
…modify software releases for allies and place tamper-proof lockouts elsewhere.
You’ve forgotten more than I’ll ever know about this subject, Lex, but one thing I DO know: there ain’t no such thing as “tamper-proof lockouts.” Selling our A-level technology, even to our most steadfast allies, makes me more than just a wee bit nervous.
Sounds good to me.
Realistically, the Japanese are the only country who’re going to be solidly in our corner if any major nation-state on nation-state fighting that requires a plane like the F-22 breaks out.
And security in the commercial side of their military-industrial complex can hardly be worse than it is in ours.
Lex a quick question. I had heard that the Superhornet was more than a match for the F-22 Raptor. As a former F/A-18 aviator, what have you heard?
Oh, no plane is ever invincible, and in a “I see you, you see me,” close-in turning fight a Hornet of whatever variant that survives to the merge may have a fair chance of scoring some hits against a Raptor – I seem to recall seeing some evidence of that, in fact.
But not often, and that’s not the way to bet.
The FA-18 was built to do a number of contradictory things pretty well, but the Raptor was made to do one thing brilliantly. Both do what they were designed to do, is my understanding.
Good thing we’ve got no plans to go to war with the US Air Force, yah?
Thank you for your reply sir. I concur but it is nice to see them spar once and a while.
Didn’t the Obey amendment come out of the Japanese pinching US IP on the F-2/F-16 project?
And isn’t Obey now chair of the House Appropriations Committee?
I just don’t see where the Japanese are going to find enough people on your side of the pond willing to push this (Lockmart obviously excepted).
The Navy and the Air Force only wage war inside the halls of the Pentagon……..