Japan must enter the 5th-generation fighter race

[Taro Toporific]

[Kanchou]

The F-35 is a strike/attack/CAS fighter with AA capability. The end.

If you want a stealth air superiority fighter or interceptor, which a defense-based military like Japan's would need, you're going to have to make your own.

[matsuki]

Would be cool to see what they can make...

[American Oyaji]

Would be cool to see what they can make...

They can't even make a rocket which launches reliably...

[Greji]

They can't even make a rocket which launches reliably...

That's a different field. Japan did the Lion's share of field overhaul of USAF F-4s during the Vietnam War and under license, produced their own F-4s. They are still making the F-15 under license and that ain't too shabby of a weapons platform if you're talking air superiority.....

[Fullback]

Japan is "making" f-15s? I never knew that. I thought they were purchased.

[matsuki]

That's a different field. Japan did the Lion's share of field overhaul of USAF F-4s during the Vietnam War and under license, produced their own F-4s. They are still making the F-15 under license and that ain't too shabby of a weapons platform if you're talking air superiority.....

THIS

Hell, I think they might actually have to start producing something like jets they can sell abroad as their market share in vehicles is going down down down.

[Greji]

Japan is "making" f-15s? I never knew that. I thought they were purchased.

They are only partially purchased. Here is Wiki-leaks, I mean Wikipedia's note on the Eagle
"..... Japan
Japan Air Self-Defense Force acquired 203 F-15Js and 20 F-15DJs from 1981, of which 2 F-15Js and 12 F-15DJs were made in U.S. and the rest by Mitsubishi under license. In June 2007, the Air Self-Defense Force decided to upgrade certain F-15 aircraft with synthetic aperture radar pods] Japan had 157 F-15Js and 45 F-15DJs in use as of November 2008.[76]
2nd Air Wing Chitose Air Base
201st Tactical Fighter Squadron
203rd Tactical Fighter Squadron
6th Air Wing Komatsu Air Base
303rd Tactical Fighter Squadron
306th Tactical Fighter Squadron
7th Air Wing Hyakuri Air Base
305th Tactical Fighter Squadron
8th Air Wing Tsuiki Air Base
304th Tactical Fighter Squadron
83rd Air Wing Naha Air Base
204th Tactical Fighter Squadron....."

[Fullback]

Thanks for the info and link. It's significant, but not surprising, that Japan went through the learning curve of the manufacturing process and controls for the airframe.

[Brasco]

let's face it, if push came to shove, the long gone, long range cruise missiles would magically re-appear.

Fancy planes look cool tho... until they crash.

[Pearse]

They are only partially purchased. Here is Wiki-leaks, I mean Wikipedia's note on the Eagle
"..... Japan

I used to teach Engrish to a JSDF F-15 pilot who seemed pretty high up in the chain of command. I even saw him being interviewed on TV once. In one class I asked him if it was pretty cool flying F-15s (duh) but he surprisingly answered that he wanted to stop because it was so hard on his body. (Sorry to be off topic but I wanted to share that.....)

[AML]

well its all going to be UCAVs from now on. Technology is surpassing human physical limitations, so best just take them out of the picture!
Future pilots will be 11 year old nerds in a room with a hot pocket and a joystick

[Kanchou]

An unmanned fighter will be able to pull crazy G's, but unlike a drone, you have to be able to maintain full situational awareness 360 degrees around you, and you have to be able to identify targets from great distances and height, as well as be able to judge distance, so it's going to take some pretty big advances in monitors and virtual reality for it to happen, assuming you don't go partially autonomous.

Also, with Japanese manufacturing knowledge, putting together F-15's isn't that much of a feet. Now, whether or not they would have been able to design, build, and test a fourth-gen fighter from scratch (even the F-2 is based on another plane) is a different story.

[Kanchou]

I used to teach Engrish to a JSDF F-15 pilot who seemed pretty high up in the chain of command. I even saw him being interviewed on TV once. In one class I asked him if it was pretty cool flying F-15s (duh) but he surprisingly answered that he wanted to stop because it was so hard on his body. (Sorry to be off topic but I wanted to share that.....)

Well, it's possible even for Generals to be flying fighter planes, although I'm not sure whether or not they have the same over-reaching responsibilities as say, a base commander.

You should have asked for a ride-along.

[Pearse]

Well, it's possible even for Generals to be flying fighter planes, although I'm not sure whether or not they have the same over-reaching responsibilities as say, a base commander.

You should have asked for a ride-along.

Only if they have puke bags. I'd make sure to use the toilet ahead of time....

[Kanchou]

Don't worry, they do.

And pilots have a place to piss while flying too.

[AML]

An unmanned fighter will be able to pull crazy G's, but unlike a drone, you have to be able to maintain full situational awareness 360 degrees around you, and you have to be able to identify targets from great distances and height, as well as be able to judge distance, so it's going to take some pretty big advances in monitors and virtual reality for it to happen, assuming you don't go partially autonomous.

Also, with Japanese manufacturing knowledge, putting together F-15's isn't that much of a feet. Now, whether or not they would have been able to design, build, and test a fourth-gen fighter from scratch (even the F-2 is based on another plane) is a different story.

The pilot on the ground could have that awareness through a 3D virtual helmet. A whole machine (like that Gundam arcade game)

Never need to put another pilot in danger.

[Kanchou]

My point exactly.

The gundam game looks cool but the actual display quality is pure shit. And you have zero awareness except for what's in front of you.

A "3D helmet" is just not going to be the same as seeing the real thing, at least not for quite a while.