Japan's Prime minister Shinzo Abe met with his counterpart Boris Johnson in the United Kingdom to discuss cooperation on future fighter programme development. They are expected together to sign a Memorandum of Cooperation for future technology sharing and cooperation on missile and aircraft programs. In addition, Japan has revealed details of its own next-generation fighter. This marks the first time Japan has led domestic development of a new fighter craft in 40-years.
The Nikkei newspaper reported details of Japan’s 6th-generation fighter. This aircraft is scheduled to enter service 2035. The aircraft will use stealth technologies, optionally manned, and display high levels of manned-unmanned teaming. It will fly at supersonic speeds. Hypersonic weapons are hard to track and can't be recalled after they have been fired. The aircraft will likely be equipped with a super-cruise engine, which will allow it to fly at an incredible speed.
The aircraft is expected come with a "bonded structure", which refers to the fact that the aircraft's structural components are joined together. This will allow for a reduction in the aircraft's weight. It will also have a lighter weight and a wider operating range. The aircraft will likely be equipped with avionics and engines developed by Japanese companies and a powerplant developed by British companies.
The UK and Japan partnership will include joint development of an air/to-air missile programme. Japan has extensive domestic research on component technologies and will likely work with the British company BAE Systems, which is a leading aerospace and defense company. They have extensive knowledge in electronic warfare and will likely be working on data technology for military aircraft.
Japan plans to launch series production of F-X aircraft in 2031. The aircraft is expected to cost around 5 trillion Japanese yen, which amounts to approximately $48 billion. In addition, Japan plans to build about 90 of the aircraft, and will be ready to deploy the fighter in the 2030s.
It will feature an integrated bonded structure that is likely to be made from composite materials. This will help reduce the aircraft's weight and allow the air force to be more flexible in their operations. The aircraft will also come with heat shields. Advanced digital capabilities will be available on the aircraft as well as advanced AI capabilities. The aircraft will also feature advanced networking systems and Gallium Nitride (GaN), radars as well as AESA radios.
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries will develop the F-X program. It will be created in Japan. This is an example of how the program could be constructed. The stealth aircraft X2 from the company, which took off in April 2016, was its first flight. It is a high-tech aircraft with three-dimensional vectored thrust control, fly-by optics, and a 3D vectored thrust control system. It is also the first demonstration of experimental stealth technology.
Other companies will be involved in the UK-Japan collaboration, including Northrup Grumman as well as Rolls Royce. These companies have developed electronic warfare technology and air missiles, and they will partner with the Japanese company in order to develop a powerplant.