Japan's Stealth Fighter getting bigger

According to AWST Japan is looking at possibly developing a stealth fighter that is larger than the F-22. According to the article the rotational fighter would be 20m long and a wingspan of 16m (vs. 18.9 and 13.6 for the raptor). It will also have a narrower profile to reduce RCS from the side.

aviationweek.com...

They plan to make a decision in FY2018 and are eyeing an in service date in the 2030 range.

Other features (many have been previously discussed)

Endurance and weapons load is a priority over maneuverability
Two bays are being designed to around the Meteor missile (3 each)
The bays are not big enough for Japans next generation ASM missile
They are looking at 3D thrust vectoring not for maneuverability but to reduce control surface size to reduce RCS
Its low profile is in part achieved by narrow engines that will have an inlet temp of 3,270F and 33,000 lbs of thrust each (prototype slated for 2018)


The major issue goes back to weapons load. I assume they will use the the new fighter as a mini AWACS and direct other fighters like a loaded to the gills F-15E to fire standoff AAM's and no word on a cannon for dog fighting.

a reply to: FredT

They need the range and endurance a lot more than being super maneuverable.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: FredT

They need the range and endurance a lot more than being super maneuverable.

Agreed. Given that its also going to be for maritime strike, I'm surprised they did not factor in the next gen ASM they are developing. It would be interesting to see if they try to find a partner (like Australia) to spread out risk etc. Both were itching to buy the F-22 and a long range, long endurance, fighter would suit both nations and dovetail nicely with their planned F-35 fleets

a reply to: FredT

The ATD-X program is doing a lot for work on their final requirements. It will decide whether they need a partner or not.

Should keep China and Russia in check.

a reply to: FredT

Ahh the pacific arm's race is heating up, sooner or later the Japanese are going to be forced to confront the ever more aggressive Chinese expansionism which has already lain claim to some Island traditionally seen as Japanese, the Kuril islands to the north siezed by Russian in the closing day's of WW2 are also likely to receive Chinese compliment's and probable naval base's through deal's with the Russian's which will further provoke the Japanese.

A war is looking inevitable unless the Chinese moderate there action's and soon especially after the US told the Japanese to upgrade there military potential to be able to contribute to international coalition action's, the US will then of course be obliged to help Japan even if only through logistical aid and Japanese home island defense.

The EU meanwhile being the Fourth Reich that they are and so far up the Chinese banker's arse's that only the Troika's leg's are sticking out dangling from the Chinese posterior like a limb mutation will likely renage on offering any aid at all but if Brexit is successfully concluded the British at least will probably also offer some aid (we still have a handful of ship's and we also have a huge secret fleet of terranis and later derivative drone's according to some rather self deluded rumor monger's, probable only have a few score in reality though) so yeah we can at least cheer them on from the sideline's unless someone invests back into our armed force's and it has to be said that there are still a lot of old folk's that are still trying to forgive the Jap's even all these years later.

Still watch the Kuril island's and the Cino/Russian Federation treatise, it will not be made public at first and will likely only become known from a few of the new Chinese naval vessel's docking at some facility's on the island's but soon it will be a lot of Chinese vessel's docking at those facility's and causing a major diplomatic and territorial dispute with Japan.

a reply to: LABTECH767

China is stealing land from every nation in the area, not just Japan. The Philippines took them to court and won .. china said sorry we don't care.

An international tribunal in The Hague ruled in favor of the Philippines in a maritime dispute Tuesday, concluding China has no legal basis to claim historic rights to the bulk of the South China Sea.

Chinese President Xi Jinping rejected the decision by the Permanent Court of Arbitration, which is likely to have lasting implications for the resource-rich hot spot, which sees $5 trillion worth of shipborne trade pass through each year.
"China will never accept any claim or action based on those awards," Xi said. China had boycotted the proceedings.

www.cnn.com...

a reply to: OccamsRazor04

Absolutely correct, they believe themselves large enough and to have enough expendable soldiers to be able to take on any other nation including the US, in the region only Vietnam has given them a bloody nose when they tried to annex that nation after the Vietnam war and had there army sent packing by the Vietnamese.

The US and Vietnam have recently made inroad's to restoring there relation's probably provoked by the growing Chinese belligerence in the area so a Japanese-Vietnamese as part of a broader coalition despite there vast differences is also a potential for the region as only a Coalition made up of many states in the region can counter the growing Chinese threat to it's stability.

However as long as the Philippines has there leader Dutarte with his head up the Chinese arse tickling there ball's with his tongue as he creep's up to them and make's evil remark's about the US the Philippines are now a potential threat to the formation of any such coalition, still he will probably be toppled sooner rather than later as growing fear of him turn's to anger, at the moment he is loved but that won't last (unless the Chinese play father Christmas with the Philippine's and invest extremely heavily there which Dutarte is after and that could spell terminal trouble for the balance of power in the region).

originally posted by: LABTECH767
However as long as the Philippines has there leader Dutarte with his head up the Chinese arse tickling there ball's with his tongue as he creep's up to them and make's evil remark's about the US the Philippines are now a potential threat to the formation of any such coalition

Thank Obama for that. His administration said they were contemplating no longer selling arms to the Philippines because of Duterte. Duterte said fine, you aren't the only game in town. Obama screwed up royally in a way that may be truly devastating for the US in the future.

The U.S. State Department halted the planned sale of some 26,000 assault rifles to the Philippines' national police after Senator Ben Cardin said he would oppose it, Senate aides told Reuters on Monday.

China and Japan, eh? Well, China is doing all it can to press territorial claims and annoy practically all neighbours with belligerence and arrogance. The Chinese militarisation of artificial islands in the South China Sea is just a start.

The Japanese military needs assets that can counter the massive growth of the Chinese military, perhaps not numerically, but perhaps technologically over the ocean, where any flare-up is doubtless to occur. The type of fighter being contemplated is probably worthwhile, perhaps in countering Chinese aerial incursions over contested waters.

a reply to: FredT

Going back to the old interceptor model, except with stealth replacing MiG-25 speed.