making arrangements to select the F-35 as Japan's next mainstay fighter jet, sources at the ministry and the Self-Defense Forces said recently.
The ministry will embark on the full acquisition process in last December and prepare to make budgetary requests for the stealth plane in the fiscal 2011 budget, the sources said.
The ministry is looking to buy 40 of the next-generation jets, which can evade radar and are estimated to cost about ¥9 billion each.
The move apparently means priority has been put on strengthening air-defense capabilities as neighboring China makes efforts to enhance its air force by developing its own next-generation aircraft, analysts said.
The ministry, however, may postpone budget requests for the F-35 until fiscal 2012, due to a view in the government that a contract should not be concluded before the jet's actual capabilities can be confirmed.
The F-35 is set to be deployed in the mid-2010s. The F-35 is being jointly developed by the United States, Britain, Australia and other countries. Japan is not participating because doing so would conflict with its principle of banning weapons and arms-technology exports
Japan initially wanted to acquire the U.S. F-22 stealth jet to replace its aging collection of F-4EJ fighters, which are still used alongside F-15s and other planes, but the United States prohibits the export of the F-22, and plans to halt production have already been announced.
Japan passed on other models, such as the U.S. F/A-18 and F-15FX and the Eurofighter, which is made by a consortium of European manufacturers.
The plan to acquire the F-35 is likely to be incorporated in new defense policy guidelines and a medium-term defense buildup plan to be adopted in December 2010.
The government led by the Democratic Party of Japan decided in October to delay its adoption by a year, partly to reflect the policies of its coalition partners.
Showing posts with label F-4EJ Fighter. Show all posts
Showing posts with label F-4EJ Fighter. Show all posts
Friday, January 08, 2010
DTN News: Japan Planning To Replace Aging F-4 Fleet With Stealth F-35 Fighters
DTN News: Japan Planning To Replace Aging F-4 Fleet With Stealth F-35 Fighters
*Source: DTN News / Japan Media
(NSI News Source Info) OSAKA, Japan - January 09, 2010: The Defense Ministry is 
making arrangements to select the F-35 as Japan's next mainstay fighter jet, sources at the ministry and the Self-Defense Forces said recently.
The ministry will embark on the full acquisition process in last December and prepare to make budgetary requests for the stealth plane in the fiscal 2011 budget, the sources said.
The ministry is looking to buy 40 of the next-generation jets, which can evade radar and are estimated to cost about ¥9 billion each.
The move apparently means priority has been put on strengthening air-defense capabilities as neighboring China makes efforts to enhance its air force by developing its own next-generation aircraft, analysts said.
The ministry, however, may postpone budget requests for the F-35 until fiscal 2012, due to a view in the government that a contract should not be concluded before the jet's actual capabilities can be confirmed.
The F-35 is set to be deployed in the mid-2010s. The F-35 is being jointly developed by the United States, Britain, Australia and other countries. Japan is not participating because doing so would conflict with its principle of banning weapons and arms-technology exports
Japan initially wanted to acquire the U.S. F-22 stealth jet to replace its aging collection of F-4EJ fighters, which are still used alongside F-15s and other planes, but the United States prohibits the export of the F-22, and plans to halt production have already been announced.
Japan passed on other models, such as the U.S. F/A-18 and F-15FX and the Eurofighter, which is made by a consortium of European manufacturers.
The plan to acquire the F-35 is likely to be incorporated in new defense policy guidelines and a medium-term defense buildup plan to be adopted in December 2010.
The government led by the Democratic Party of Japan decided in October to delay its adoption by a year, partly to reflect the policies of its coalition partners.
making arrangements to select the F-35 as Japan's next mainstay fighter jet, sources at the ministry and the Self-Defense Forces said recently.
The ministry will embark on the full acquisition process in last December and prepare to make budgetary requests for the stealth plane in the fiscal 2011 budget, the sources said.
The ministry is looking to buy 40 of the next-generation jets, which can evade radar and are estimated to cost about ¥9 billion each.
The move apparently means priority has been put on strengthening air-defense capabilities as neighboring China makes efforts to enhance its air force by developing its own next-generation aircraft, analysts said.
The ministry, however, may postpone budget requests for the F-35 until fiscal 2012, due to a view in the government that a contract should not be concluded before the jet's actual capabilities can be confirmed.
The F-35 is set to be deployed in the mid-2010s. The F-35 is being jointly developed by the United States, Britain, Australia and other countries. Japan is not participating because doing so would conflict with its principle of banning weapons and arms-technology exports
Japan initially wanted to acquire the U.S. F-22 stealth jet to replace its aging collection of F-4EJ fighters, which are still used alongside F-15s and other planes, but the United States prohibits the export of the F-22, and plans to halt production have already been announced.
Japan passed on other models, such as the U.S. F/A-18 and F-15FX and the Eurofighter, which is made by a consortium of European manufacturers.
The plan to acquire the F-35 is likely to be incorporated in new defense policy guidelines and a medium-term defense buildup plan to be adopted in December 2010.
The government led by the Democratic Party of Japan decided in October to delay its adoption by a year, partly to reflect the policies of its coalition partners.
Saturday, July 25, 2009
DTN News: South Korea Drops 5th-Generation Fighter Plan
DTN News: South Korea Drops 5th-Generation Fighter Plan
*Source: DTN News / Defense Media
(NSI News Source Info) SEOUL, South Korea - July 25, 2009: South Korea will refocus its KF-X fighter-development program, which aimed to create a fifth-generation stealth fighter, and instead solicit foreign firms' help in producing about 250 F-16-class fighter jets after 2010, according to a research institute here. 
SOUTH KOREA WANTS to retire the F-4Ds, shown above, which were received from the U.S. Air Force inventory. (FRED ROOS / BOEING)
The Weapon Systems Concept Development and Application Research Center of Konkuk University was ordered in April by the government to look at the feasibility of the controversial KF-X effort, which originally aimed to produce and market about 120 aircraft, stealthier than Dassault's Rafale or the Eurofighter Typhoon but not as stealthy as Lockheed Martin's F-35 Lightning II.
"Korea has been evaluated with the capacity of 63 percent of necessary technology if the total technology is assumed 100 percent," the letter said. "That … means that self-development of aircraft is possible with joint development of core technology … and technology transfer from abroad."On May 18, the center told major foreign aircraft manufacturers that the South Korean military wants to replace older F-4s and F-5s with a lesser fighter, one on par with the F-16 Block 50. In a letter, the center sent detailed operational requirements for the new jet, which is to have basic stealth technology and a domestically built active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar.
On May 29, the center asked Boeing, Eurofighter, Lockheed Martin and Saab about their views on the per-plane cost estimate of $50 million, as well as budget-sharing ideas and technology transfer.
The center will wrap up the feasibility study by October. The Ministry of National Defense will issue a decision on the KF-X initiative by year's end.
REQUIREMENTS
The new jet is to have a combat radius about 1.5 times that of the F-16; an airframe life span 1.34 times longer than that of the F-16; better avionics than that of the F-16 Block 50; an electronic warfare suite; an infrared search-and-track system; and data link systems fit for a network-centric environment, the document says.
South Korea's LIG Nex1 is likely to build the AESA radar using technology provided by Israel's Elta Systems.
Among other required capabilities are thrust of 50,000 pounds, provided by either one or two engines; super-velocity intercept and supercruise capabilities; and the ability to hit targets in the air, on land and at sea.
In the first 11 years of exploratory and full-scale development, about 120 KF-Xs would be built to replace F-4s and F-5s, and more than 130 aircraft would be produced after the first-phase models reach initial operational capability.
An industry source here said Boeing might be the front-runner with its F/A-18 Super Hornet and other 4.5-generation fighter technologies.
Sweden's Saab aerospace group might take part as a systems integrator with Korea Aerospace Industries, South Korea's only aircraft maker, he said.
Greg Lexton, vice president of Boeing Korea, said July 23Boeing is looking at South Korea's KF-X proposal and called an F/A-18 green aircraft a "possible idea."
A Lockheed Martin executive noted that his firm had worked with South Korea to produce KF-16s under license and develop the T-50 Golden Eagle supersonic trainer jet. He also noted Lockheed's co-development work with European nations, Japan and Taiwan.
"We'll look at what South Korea wants carefully and discuss what Lockheed Martin will be able to do or not be able to do for the KF-X in the coming months," he said.
Defense analysts here remain skeptical about the effectiveness of the KF-X program.
One chief researcher at the state-funded Korea Institute for Defense Analyses (KIDA) recalled an earlier study by a local economic policy think tank that concluded that the program would cost at least $10 billion, but would reap only $3 billion in economic benefits.
"I believe there have been no major changes in the content of the KF-X program since the 2007 feasibility study," he said. "There is almost no persuasion in the rationale behind the costly program. Do you want to acquire sophisticated stealth aircraft technologies through the KF-X partnership? Or do you believe indigenous KF-16+ aircraft could be operationally feasible and sold to other nations after 2020?"
State-of-the-art fifth-generation combat aircraft, such as the F-35 and Typhoon, are expected to dominate the global market between 2020 and 2050, so developing an indigenous KF-16+-level fighter could never be sound economically and technically, the researcher said.
SOUTH KOREA WANTS to retire the F-4Ds, shown above, which were received from the U.S. Air Force inventory. (FRED ROOS / BOEING)
The Weapon Systems Concept Development and Application Research Center of Konkuk University was ordered in April by the government to look at the feasibility of the controversial KF-X effort, which originally aimed to produce and market about 120 aircraft, stealthier than Dassault's Rafale or the Eurofighter Typhoon but not as stealthy as Lockheed Martin's F-35 Lightning II.
"Korea has been evaluated with the capacity of 63 percent of necessary technology if the total technology is assumed 100 percent," the letter said. "That … means that self-development of aircraft is possible with joint development of core technology … and technology transfer from abroad."On May 18, the center told major foreign aircraft manufacturers that the South Korean military wants to replace older F-4s and F-5s with a lesser fighter, one on par with the F-16 Block 50. In a letter, the center sent detailed operational requirements for the new jet, which is to have basic stealth technology and a domestically built active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar.
On May 29, the center asked Boeing, Eurofighter, Lockheed Martin and Saab about their views on the per-plane cost estimate of $50 million, as well as budget-sharing ideas and technology transfer.
The center will wrap up the feasibility study by October. The Ministry of National Defense will issue a decision on the KF-X initiative by year's end.
REQUIREMENTS
The new jet is to have a combat radius about 1.5 times that of the F-16; an airframe life span 1.34 times longer than that of the F-16; better avionics than that of the F-16 Block 50; an electronic warfare suite; an infrared search-and-track system; and data link systems fit for a network-centric environment, the document says.
South Korea's LIG Nex1 is likely to build the AESA radar using technology provided by Israel's Elta Systems.
Among other required capabilities are thrust of 50,000 pounds, provided by either one or two engines; super-velocity intercept and supercruise capabilities; and the ability to hit targets in the air, on land and at sea.
In the first 11 years of exploratory and full-scale development, about 120 KF-Xs would be built to replace F-4s and F-5s, and more than 130 aircraft would be produced after the first-phase models reach initial operational capability.
An industry source here said Boeing might be the front-runner with its F/A-18 Super Hornet and other 4.5-generation fighter technologies.
Sweden's Saab aerospace group might take part as a systems integrator with Korea Aerospace Industries, South Korea's only aircraft maker, he said.
Greg Lexton, vice president of Boeing Korea, said July 23Boeing is looking at South Korea's KF-X proposal and called an F/A-18 green aircraft a "possible idea."
A Lockheed Martin executive noted that his firm had worked with South Korea to produce KF-16s under license and develop the T-50 Golden Eagle supersonic trainer jet. He also noted Lockheed's co-development work with European nations, Japan and Taiwan.
"We'll look at what South Korea wants carefully and discuss what Lockheed Martin will be able to do or not be able to do for the KF-X in the coming months," he said.
Defense analysts here remain skeptical about the effectiveness of the KF-X program.
One chief researcher at the state-funded Korea Institute for Defense Analyses (KIDA) recalled an earlier study by a local economic policy think tank that concluded that the program would cost at least $10 billion, but would reap only $3 billion in economic benefits.
"I believe there have been no major changes in the content of the KF-X program since the 2007 feasibility study," he said. "There is almost no persuasion in the rationale behind the costly program. Do you want to acquire sophisticated stealth aircraft technologies through the KF-X partnership? Or do you believe indigenous KF-16+ aircraft could be operationally feasible and sold to other nations after 2020?"
State-of-the-art fifth-generation combat aircraft, such as the F-35 and Typhoon, are expected to dominate the global market between 2020 and 2050, so developing an indigenous KF-16+-level fighter could never be sound economically and technically, the researcher said.Wednesday, February 04, 2009
F-16 Fighting Falcon Is A Versatile, Reliable Proven A Successful Multirole Aircraft
F-16 Fighting Falcon Is A Versatile, Reliable Proven A Successful Multirole Aircraft
(NSI News Source Info) February 5, 2009: February 4, 2009: The U.S. 
F-16 is the most numerous post-Cold War jet fighter, with over 4,200 built, and more to come. During The Cold War, Russia built over 10,000 MiG-21s, and the U.S over 5,000 F-4s.
F-16 is the most numerous post-Cold War jet fighter, with over 4,200 built, and more to come. During The Cold War, Russia built over 10,000 MiG-21s, and the U.S over 5,000 F-4s. The F-16 can also function as a bomber and ground attack aircraft, although not as effectively as the air force folks would have you believe. It can carry four tons of bombs. In air-to-air combat, it has shot down 69 aircraft so far, without losing anything to enemy warplanes. It was originally designed as a cheaper alternative to the heavier F-15.
The F-16 are sturdy, and one has spent 7,000 hours in the air before being retired. The F-16C was originally designed for a service life of 4,000 hours in the air. But advances in engineering, materials and maintenance techniques have extended that to over 8,000 hours. The F-16 is used by 25 different countries.
The aircraft is still in production, and is to be replaced in U.S. service by the F-35. But with delays in getting F-35 production going, and trouble keeping the F-35 price down, it appears that the F-16 will remain in production for another decade. Part of the reason for that is the adaptability of the F-16. It's one of those aircraft that is easily upgraded.
Consider the Israeli F-16I. This is a 24 ton, two seat fighter-bomber, and is probably the most capable F-16 model in service. It's basically a modified version of the F-16C/D Block 50/52, equipped with a more advanced radar (the APG-68(X)) and the ability to carry Israeli weapons like the Python 4 air-to-air missile and the Popeye 2 air-to-surface missile.
Costing $45 million each, the F-16I has an excellent navigation system, which allows it to fly on the deck (a few hundred feet from the ground), without working the pilot to death. The aircraft can do this at night or in any weather. The F-16I can carry enough fuel to hit targets 1,600 kilometers away (meaning Iran is within range). The aircraft uses the latest short and long range air-to-air missiles, as well as smart bombs.
Electronic countermeasures are carried, as is a powerful computer system, which records the details of each sortie in great detail. This is a big help for training.
The F-16I is basically optimized to deliver smart bombs anywhere, despite dense air defenses. This further increases Israels military power versus its neighbors. Israel has received 102 new F-16I fighter-bombers in the last five years. Added to this will be another 125, as older F-16s are upgraded.
What is more likely to put the F-16 out of business are unmanned aircraft like the MQ-9 Reaper. The 4.7 ton Reaper has a wingspan of 66 feet and a payload of 1.5 tons. Reaper is considered a combat aircraft, because it can carry everything from the hundred pound Hellfire missile, to the 500 pound laser or GPS guided smart bomb.
Reaper has a laser designator, as well as day and night (infrared) cameras. Reaper can stay in the air for over 14 hours and operate at up to 50,000 feet. A fully tricked out Reaper costs about $18 million per aircraft (with all the high end sensors).
Thus the 19 ton F-16 costs more than twice as much as a Reaper, and is much more expensive to operate. The F-16 uses over a hundred times more fuel, per hour in the air, and with the price of oil rapidly rising, that itself means a lot.
Put simply, It's cheaper, more effective, and safer (for pilots) to use Reapers (or similar aircraft) for a lot of the ground support work. Fighters are still needed to keep the skies clear of enemy aircraft, although Reapers are better suited for the dangerous work of destroying enemy air defenses. But for fighting irregulars, the Reaper is king, and there are more bad guys with guns on the ground, than in the air.
Japan Frets Over The US's F-22s
Japan Frets Over The US's F-22s
By Kosuke Takahashi
(NSI News Source
Info) TOKYO - February 5, 2009: Across the world, potential buyers, rivals and military experts are watching closely United States President Barack Obama's decision on whether or not to continue building the costly F-22 stealth fighter, Japan is certainly no exception.
Info) TOKYO - February 5, 2009: Across the world, potential buyers, rivals and military experts are watching closely United States President Barack Obama's decision on whether or not to continue building the costly F-22 stealth fighter, Japan is certainly no exception. No one expects the US to lose its global military hegemony any time soon, but Obama's decision - which has to be made by March 1 - could be a bellwether of how the global economic upheaval will shape American military planning in the coming years. It is also likely to be a good indication of how he will manage relations between the US government and the military-industrial complex.
In Japan, the first would-be overseas buyer if given the chance, there is all kinds of speculation on the issue of Lockheed-Martin's F-22 Raptor, considered the most advanced air-superiority fighter in the world, and the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, a next-generation, one-engined supersonic stealth aircraft. Japan could eventually buy one, or both, or neither. It's still hard to find anything concrete.
The US Air Force estimates that the F-22s would cost about $142 million apiece, but when development expenses are added, the price tag soars to more than $350 million per plane. News reports in 2007 said Japan would be willing to pay $300 million each for a fleet of 100.
Some military analysts have said that to replace its aging fleet of about 90 Mitsubishi/McDonnell Douglas F-4EJ fighters, the Japanese Ministry of Defense will maintain its pursuit of F-22 fighter jets. This is based on the assumption that the US Congress will lift its ban on the export of its most advanced US fighters to Japan, which is feasible considering Japan's role as a linchpin of US security interests in the Asia-Pacific region.
They believe Washington is willing to preserve the golden era of US-Japan relations, epitomized by the rapport between former US president George W Bush and former Japanese prime minister Junichiro Koizumi.
Some Japanese newspapers, such as the Yomiuri Shimbun, have also reported that faced with continued intransigence from the US Congress over lifting the ban, which is afraid of a cutting-edge technology leak over the possible F-22 fighter sale to Japan, Tokyo will begin to shift towards the other five contenders to replace the F-4 fleet.
Namely, these are Lockheed-Martin's F-35, Eurofighter's Typhoon, Boeing's F-15FX and F/A-18E/F and Dassault's Rafale.
But many are afraid that should the Japanese government order the Eurofighter's Typhoon, the US government would interrupt such negotiations and ask Japan to reconsider them in respect of the bilateral security relationship.
Some are also concerned that Japan's stalled efforts to relocate the US Marine Corps' Air Station Futenma within Okinawa prefecture have already discouraged the US from exporting F-22 stealth fighters to Japan, an indication they say of Washington's waning desire to strengthen the US-Japan alliance as part of its security strategy in the northeast Asian region. The relocation issue has been deadlocked for more than a decade, mainly due to local opposition.
"I don't think Okinawa is a factor at all," Michael Green, former senior director for Asian affairs of the White House National Security Council, said in an interview with Asia Times Online last week. The "biggest issue is whether the USAF [US Air Force] will buy enough to keep the line open until a Japan export version is ready."
Others have also pointed out that Washington is less willing to export F-22 stealth fighters to Tokyo as it could strain strategically important Sino-US relations. Obama's decision on the F-22 fighter program - with its wider implications for Japan-US and China-US ties - will make things clearer on this subject.
"The US is cautious of military technology transfer," said Hideshi Takesada of the Japanese National Institute for Defense Studies, a think-tank attached to the Japanese Ministry of Defense. "It also won't sell the F-22 to the UK and Australia, among others. It should be hard for Japan to receive such special considerations from the US. Should Japan stick to [its plans to buy] the state-of-the-art fighter, it would prove to be damaging to the national interest."
The Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) currently possesses about 360 jet fighters, with three different models. It has about 200 F-15s, about 70 F-2s and about 90 F-4EJ jets, but the latter have been used since the Vietnam War and are scheduled to be retired by 2013.
Japan has repeatedly said throughout 2008 that it is seeking access to information on the F-22's technologies and performance data to review its capabilities before procuring next-generation (FX) fighters for the JASDF to replace the aging F-4EJs.
Japan's Defense Ministry was previously scheduled to begin the acquisition of next-generation FX fighters for the JASDF during the fiscal year 2009 starting this coming April, but delayed this before its deadline of September, 2008. It refrained from requesting any part of the national budget, citing difficulties gathering information about candidate airplanes such as the F-22. Instead, it requested 89.2 billion yen (US$996 million) in the national budget to upgrade 22 F-15s to improve air defense capabilities, according to a spokesman at the ministry.
In an effort to reduce the impact of a delayed FX selection, the JASDF is seeking to extend the life of the F-4EJ fighters by using them "more efficiently", the spokesman said.
Although this is little-known among foreign observers, the ministry also requested about 8.5 billion yen in the next fiscal year budget for preliminary work to develop a Japanese version of the stealth fighter called Shinshin, meaning the Heart of God. The ministry plans to spend a total of 39.4 billion yen until the fiscal 2015 to develop the Shinshin. "This is a long-term plan, so nothing related to the FX selection this time around," the spokesman said.
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