Japan increasingly likely to be the first foreign nation buy F-22s

First but hopefully not the only one. And I certainly hope that if other nations purchase the F-22, the Pentagon will decide to buy more of them.

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Momentum is building within the Air Force to sell the service's prized F-22A Raptor -- which is loaded with super-secret systems -- to trusted U.S. allies, with Japan viewed as the most likely buyer, service and industry officials tell Inside the Air Force.

A Lockheed Martin official heavily involved in the Raptor program told ITAF Feb. 14 that a proposal to alter course and sell the Raptor to Japan is working its way through the Air Force. Lockheed is leading development and production work on the service's newest fighter.

“Right now, [the proposal] is at the three- or four-star level” within the Air Force, the Lockheed official said. “It's not at the highest levels yet . . . to the people who really count -- but it's getting there.”

“It's hard to envision the F-22A with its current capabilities being exported, even to our closest allies. Its capabilities would almost certainly have to be ‘watered down' for export,” according to Christopher Bolkcom, an analyst at the Congressional Research Service in Washington.

“Would such an aircraft be attractive to foreign countries? Probably. Would it be priced affordably? That is more difficult to predict,” Bolkcom told ITAF Feb. 14. “Technology transfer will likely be a critical issue” that U.S. policy-makers would have to iron out, he added.

Officials could potentially use another high-profile fighter program as a guide, if they opt to move forward with a plan to put the F-22A on the market, the CRS analyst said. “If the JSF program is able to resolve its technology transfer issues, DOD may have a model -- or at least a precedent -- for the F-22A to follow,” Bolkcom concluded.

Though the F-22A is one of the Pentagon's most-valued -- and most costly -- weapon programs, existing laws place the State Department in charge of approving any sales of U.S. defense systems to other nations, defense officials and analysts were quick to point out this week.

The F-22 would fit nicely with thier defence requrements and they do have the GNP to be able to purchase a squadron. They could use the aircraft and its AESA radar to set up a cruise missile picket line well off their coast to defend against NK or even a Chinese attack. The F-15's in thier fleet could be upgraded to the AESA standard and backstop the Raptors closer in. Its an ideal match.

THat Japan would be the first export for the F-22 has been kicked around for a while yet.

Related ATS thread:

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

i wish britain would!!

the F-22 looks an allround better fighter than the f-35.

Originally posted by st3ve_o
i wish britain would!!
the F-22 looks an allround better fighter than the f-35.

Does the UK have a requrement for it thought that the Typhoon cannot fill? The F-22 had better be a better fighter than the JSF given its complexity and cost.

Unless the UK wants a land based dedicated stealthy air superiority squadron (who wouldnt, but there are budget realities) the JSF will fit the bill working with the Typhoons. More to the point, the JSF will be able to operate from the RN's carriers.

Correct Fred, the UK could never contemplate acquiring the F-22, its just too damn expensive for us even without all the investment already spent on the Typhoon, the fact that Typhoon exists for more or less the same role means RAF Raptors will never become a reality.

Apart from Japan I also thought Saudi Arabia might be potentioal F-22 customer but their own pourchase of the Typhoon would seem to rule that out.

Of course they could cancel but I hope they don't.

I thought the *Japanese* would be a customer since they are so obsessed with futuristic technology

[edit on 2/18/06 by FredT]

I also thought Saudi Arabia might be potentioal F-22 customer

Surely you jest... are you deliberately trying to give me nightmares

[edit on 18-2-2006 by sardion2000]

Saudi Arabia? Don’t kid around, I would have a heart attack if they got Raptors. I don't even know why we gave them Eagles and Abrams. At this time the only US allies that I personally would trust with a F-22 are the UK, Japan and Australia.




[edit on 18-2-2006 by WestPoint23]

The typhoons crap, way way too expensive, 25 years out of date, ugly as sin, and did i mention the costs of development? ( The uk could of had hundreds of F-15's for the price!) and if we had not been blindly drawn into this euro fighter and flying pig (F-35) rubbish, we could now be the proud new owners of F-22's for our air force.

As for saudi getting raptors....well if that happens who's to stop old bin laden doing a sneak stealth nuking of any place on the planet??? oh im sorry, saudi doesn't sponsor islamic terror....

[edit on 18-2-2006 by MadGreebo]

lol @ madgreebo!!

i know what you mean, the UK are not exactly 'showoffs' you can't look at one of our fighters and say "WOW that looks WELLLLL nice!!"

i think the UK just goes for things to GET THE JOB DONE, but sometimes its good to have an aircraft that actaully ^looks the part^ (ie b-2, f-117) etc.

but we have some good up-coming stuff!!

[edit on 18-2-2006 by st3ve_o]

Originally posted by WestPoint23
At this time the only two US allies that I personally would trust with a F-22 are the UK and Japan.

Do you care to explain why you wouldnt trust Australia and New Zealand with the F-22 ?
I doubt Australia would have the money to buy the F-22 and the New zealand government wouldnt have the political will or the money to the F-22. Sometimes I think that Americans forgot who there friends and allies are it almost as if they want to be seen as the lone crusader.

[edit on 18-2-2006 by xpert11]

ROFL @ xpert11!!!!

Austrailia and newzealand for F-22's??? Austrailia maybe at a long push, but the jokies that rule NZ wouldn't buy a kite let alone a squadron of F-22's for its airforce! rofl!!

No sorry xpert11, no offense but the F-22 is way way out of both countries price range and needs. Austrailia would do well to equip with a good upgraded F-15 k and F-15 strike eagles for defense needs.

another train of thought says why don't they buy SU-27 / 33's and re-engine them??

MadGreebo no offence taken. Perhaps I wasnt clear enough I was asking Westpoint why he wouldnt trust Aust and NZ with the F-22. I didnt mean to imply that NZ was a likely customer. You are correct about the NZ government.

My bad sorry xpert11.

I agree, especially after the Aussies unflinching support for the war on terror and many other operations. I wouldn't trust the NZ goverment though, as it seems so hell bent on being leftist and trendy it would probably give the whole damn plane over to the chinese or who ever was in favour with the NZ goverment at the time.

Do you care to explain why you wouldnt trust Australia and New Zealand with the F-22 ?

Ah, sorry for that, I’m a bit embarrassed to say that I simply forgot about Australia at the time of the original post. I have nothing against the Australians, they are very good allies.

Originally posted by MadGreebo
The typhoons crap, way way too expensive, 25 years out of date, ugly as sin, and did i mention the costs of development?

Well after that detailed technical analysis from 'The Sun's aerospace correspondant I find my opinion of the Typhoon is being swayed.........er not.




[edit on 19-2-2006 by waynos]

The key is JAPAN want to buy, But Does US are willing to sell

Originally posted by MadGreebo
No sorry xpert11, no offense but the F-22 is way way out of both countries price range and needs. Austrailia would do well to equip with a good upgraded F-15 k and F-15 strike eagles for defense needs.

LOL and the english could afford a plane which costs more than 120 million pounds a pop. Let's face it, no one except the US can really afford the F-22 and all the maintanence which would be required and the USAF can't really afford that many.

Australia's going to get about 70-80 F-35's.

PS. To xpert - Why would America count New Zealand as a close ally ?

[edit on 19-2-2006 by rogue1]

Japanese F-22 = JAPTOR might well be downgraded from the USAF F/A-22 standard.