Japan�s fighter jet procurement: a tussle between technology and diplomacy

Currently the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) has a fleet of 350 combat aircraft, with 260 fighter aircraft. Furthermore, it has three fighter jet models in its fleets – the F-4EJ ‘Phantom II’ was built by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) under license in Japan from 1971 (in 1984 F-4EJ’s were upgraded into F-4EJ ‘Kai’). The F-15J ‘Eagles’ have been built under license in Japan by MHI since 1981; its subsequent variants F-15DJ and F-15J ‘Kai’ were also produced by the same company. The Mitsubishi F-2 which entered service in 2005 is a larger and longer variant of F-16 ‘Agile Falcon’. The Japan Ministry of Defense (MoD) was forced to scrap 12 out of 18 damaged F-2s after the March 11 tsunami which hit the JASDF Matsushima Air Base in Miyagi prefecture. The existing fighter jets fleet of F-4EJ ‘Phantom II’ and F-15J ‘Eagles’ are of older generation and need to be replaced. 

 

Apart from domestic obligations, there are pressing external concerns as well. Chinese and Russian aircraft have often been detected flying over Japan’s air space illegally and JASDF has taken immediate action to either warn or intercept them. According to the MoD, intercepts of Chinese planes almost tripled last year, to 96. Russia sent two bombers recently, skirting provocatively around the Japanese archipelago. Seeing the contestation over a few remote islands such as the Kuril islands (between Japan and Russia) and the Senkaku islands (with China), and rapid modernisation of its neighbour’s fighter aircraft, it has become imminent for Japan to augment its fighter fleet. Russia is also developing a fifth-generation fighter T-50 (PAK FA), while China is developing its own new fifth-generation multi-purpose fighter, the J-20.

 

The Japanese have plans for a next generation aircraft too. The Society of Japanese Aerospace Companies’ (SJAC’s) has proposed producing a next generation air superiority fighter (F-X) until 2028, and having some of the 100-120 planes replace existing F-15Js as well. That would be followed by a Japanese fighter design, to begin development by 2017 based in part on lessons learned from their ongoing Mitsubishi ATD-X stealth technology demonstrator. Japan hopes to fly Mitsubishi ATD-X in 2014-2016, and the SJAC’s idea was that its successor could enter production around 2028, as the foreign-designed F-X fighter line closed down.

 

The MoD has identified four selection criteria for the next fighter jets: the performance of the aircraft and its weapons, maintenance costs, level of participation of domestic firms and after-sales support. Regarding performance criteria, the MoD is focusing on stealth, kinematic performance and information-processing capabilities.

 

Lockheed Martin’s F-35 Joint Strike Fighter conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) variant is considered to be the second best after F-22 ‘Raptors’, if stealth is desired. The radar signature of F35 is far ahead than its competitors, because it is designed as stealth from the outset. Lockheed Martin has also offered to exchange the transfer of final assembly of the F-35 fighter to Japanese firms. On the negative side F-35’s are hugely expensive, it is suggested that each jet may cost over $100 million, and it may not be available till 2016.

 

When it comes to price, Boeing’s F/A-18E/F ‘Super Hornet’ is less expensive with each plane costing $60 million approximately and it is readily available too. F-18’s are also used by Japan’s partner, the US Navy. But its technology is considered to be outdated and earlier in 2011 this was edged out by Indian buyers as well.

 

The Eurofighter Typhoon, built by an European Union consortium (BAE Systems, EADS and Alenia Aeronautica working through holding company Eurofighter GmBH), provides opportunity both diplomatically and technologically for Japan, UK and rest of Europe to work together. Eurofighter Typhoon is priced between F-18 and F-35; it is a twin engine air superiority aircraft and has very limited ground attack capabilities that would satisfy Japan’s ‘defence only’ criteria. Besides, in an interview with the Financial Times, Japanese Defence Minister, Yasuo Ichikawa said Japan’s alliance with the US would not be a “major criterion” in deciding between the Eurofighter Typhoon and US rivals Boeing’s F/A-18 Super Hornet and Lockheed’s F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.

 

Meanwhile, all three bidders have pledged to allow fighters to be built under license in Japan. The question is how much production they will allow.

 

In the coming days there will be lot of meetings and deliberations both inside and outside of the Japan’s Ministry of Defence till the final decision is taken by December 2011. It can be speculated that Japan will plump for their traditional partners, the US, but Ichikawa has insisted that the Japanese selection process would be “rigorous and fair”, and waved aside suggestions that spurning the US could cause strains with Washington. Kunihiko Miyake, a security expert at the Canon Global Institute, said that the technical and tactical issues should be given more importance than procurement diplomacy. 

 

India has opted for a technologically better Eurofighter Typhoon along with France’s Dassault Rafale jets over its “natural partner” US’s Boeing’s F/A-18 ‘Super Hornet’ and Lockheed’s F-16 ‘Super Viper’. This didn’t result in a dip in Indo-US relations, except for the fact that the US ambassador, Timothy Roemer, resigned citing prior personal and professional commitments. It remains to be seen Japan opts for for and its possible ramifications. Although JASDF is operating the U-125A built by British Aerospace (BAe 125) as transport aircraft, buying an European fighter may have a “big political impact” on Japan-US ties. For Japan, due consideration on its air power requirements and capabilities should be taken into account rather than procurement diplomacy. It has to weigh up its final decision carefully. 

 

 

Views expressed are personal