Japan and F-35

choi

(1) Mure Dickie, Japan's Fighter Choice Threatens Domestic Manufacturers. Financial Times, Dec 21, 2011.
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/fd42c3 ... 4-00144feabdc0.html

Quote:

"The choice [of F-35]--which critics say was driven largely by the desire of Japanese air force officers to have the most advanced available aircraft – looks set to deal a heavy blow to an isolated and inefficient defence industry.

Japan is already facing its first fighter production hiatus in more than half a century, following the delivery in September of the last F-2 aircraft built by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. The defence ministry says MHI will have a role in making F-35 airframes, but US reluctance to share the technology behind its radar-evading stealth abilities and weapons networking is sure to limit the extent of Japanese involvement. * * *  the defence ministry says [heavy machinery maker IHI Corp] will help to make engines for F-35s sold to Japan

"Defence contractors’ problems are exacerbated by a legacy of Japanese post-war pacifistic principles that largely bars them from the kind of cross-border co-operation that is becoming the industry norm. Exports of almost all weapons systems are banned, meaning companies like MHI have no chance to play a full role in the sort of multinational programme that led to the F-35.

"Combined with Japan’s past determination to maintain an autonomous defence industry, the result is small production runs and fiendishly high prices. Japan’s F-2, for example, reportedly cost about Y12,00bn – more than twice the price of the US F-16 on which it was largely based.

(2) Hiroko Tabuchi, Japan Selects Lockheed to Supply New Fighters. New York Times, Dec 21, 2011.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/2 ... n%20f-35&st=cse

Two consecutive paragraphs:

"Japanese contractors Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, IHI and Mitsubishi Electric are expected to participate in the production and maintenance of the F-35, according to the Defense Ministry. But Japanese companies are likely to be excluded from work on the confidential and more lucrative stealth and radar capabilities of the fighters.

"Tokyo’s ban on exports of military equipment also means Japanese contractors could not become global suppliers to the F-35 stealth fighter program.

My comment: There is no need to read the rest of the NYT report.