As Its Defence Priorities Shift, Japan Eyes The F-22 Raptor For Its Air Force

I highly doubt that the US will sell it's F-22's to Japan...but it is a possibility, perhaps Japan will purchase SU-30's like in Evangelion good Anime...

Perhaps Japan will buy the T-50 PAK-FA instead?

I don't understand why people think that Japan would not be offered the F-22. They are perhaps in the top 2-3 of our allies, and they already posses a techcapacity that is equal to our own and already posses alot of our technology: F-15J's, F-16, F-2 (An F-16 derivative they developed), KC and E-767's etc etc etc. The F-22 would be a natural extension. Remember that the F-117 was or would have been offered to the U.K. (they did not have a requirment for it). They have the GNP to afford it and it would no doubt give them an awesum picket line with which to protect thier homeland. Factor in the AA refuling and now you also have a stealthy strike force as well.

Japan wont get the 22 because theres a non exportation agreement between Lockheed and the govt

Originally posted by FredT
I don't understand why people think that Japan would not be offered the F-22. They are perhaps in the top 2-3 of our allies, and they already posses a techcapacity that is equal to our own and already posses alot of our technology: F-15J's, F-16, F-2 (An F-16 derivative they developed), KC and E-767's etc etc etc. The F-22 would be a natural extension. Remember that the F-117 was or would have been offered to the U.K. (they did not have a requirment for it). They have the GNP to afford it and it would no doubt give them an awesum picket line with which to protect thier homeland. Factor in the AA refuling and now you also have a stealthy strike force as well.

The F-15s and F-16s Japan has are nto exported with the same features as the ones the United States versions have; also, they didn't export them 'till years after they'd been in service. The F-022 might be exported 25 years from now, but until then, nadda.

I don't understand all this nonsense about Japan not getting the real deal. They already produce ~%20 of the radar and I�m sure a few other systems. Sure, the F/A-22 is far more of a leap forward then the F-15 was when it came out but we did sell our beast, the F-15 to them when it was relatively youthful...

The Raptor is brand new technology,nobody in the world has stealth to that extent,not even the US's closest ally the Brits, so i would doubt that the US will sell it to the Japanese.

Originally posted by W4rl0rD
The Raptor is brand new technology,nobody in the world has stealth to that extent,not even the US's closest ally the Brits, so i would doubt that the US will sell it to the Japanese.

Just another way to have someone owe you a favor in the future?! You must remember that the JSF to some extent has some of the Raptors equipment onboard and that hasn�t stopped us from selling it to everyone but the chinese and Russians...

In the end, the same could have been said about the F-15... it had state-of-the-art radar, defensive equipment and was a beast on the performance scale...
It still is to this day. That ot-to tell you something about it�

Well, most sources say that the F/A-22 wont be offered for export, who knows why, that's probably why they developed the F-35...

Broadsword, just curious, but why do you refer to F-022 when mentioning the F/A-22A?

Originally posted by W4rl0rD
The Raptor is brand new technology,nobody in the world has stealth to that extent,not even the US's closest ally the Brits, so i would doubt that the US will sell it to the Japanese.

Hmm you do realize that RAF pilots flew in operational F-117 Squads to evalute the plane even when it was black?

Originally posted by ChrisRT

Originally posted by W4rl0rD
The Raptor is brand new technology,nobody in the world has stealth to that extent,not even the US's closest ally the Brits, so i would doubt that the US will sell it to the Japanese.

Just another way to have someone owe you a favor in the future?! You must remember that the JSF to some extent has some of the Raptors equipment onboard and that hasn�t stopped us from selling it to everyone but the chinese and Russians...

In the end, the same could have been said about the F-15... it had state-of-the-art radar, defensive equipment and was a beast on the performance scale...
It still is to this day. That ot-to tell you something about it�

remember it's not just US technology...

It's a joint project with all countries contributing to it's development... although US and UK are supplying most of the tech

Originally posted by GrOuNd_ZeRo
Well, most sources say that the F/A-22 wont be offered for export, who knows why, that's probably why they developed the F-35...

Broadsword, just curious, but why do you refer to F-022 when mentioning the F/A-22A?

Ground, I meant the F-22 originally, but my "-" key had a small crumb stuck inbetween it and the zero key. So I'd type "F-22" but get "F-022" instead. I fixed the problem, then realized it's called the F/A-22 now, so, that's why