Japan Is Transforming Its F-15Js Into the 'F-15 Japan Super Interceptor'
What new capabilities will this mean?
In a
, Boeing announced a Direct Commercial Sale agreement in partnership with Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries for upgrading Japan’s F-15J fleet.
The sale agreement is a part of a $4.5 billion
that aims to enable Japan’s F-15s to keep pace with newer threats.
Under the Boeing-MHI agreement, Boeing will supply MHI with “retrofit drawings, ground support equipment and technical publications for the upgrade of the first two F-15J aircraft to the Japan Super Interceptor configuration,” with most of the upgrades electronic in nature. The upgrades will include “state-of-the-art electronic warfare and weapons,” and an “all-new advanced cockpit system, running on the world’s most advanced mission computer, will deliver pilots enhanced situational awareness.”
About half of Japan’s F-15 fleet, around ninety-eight airframes, are expected to be upgraded to the
, which is designed to help them work in tandem with Japan’s current F-35s. The remaining half of the older Japanese F-15’s will eventually be retired for brand-new F-35s.
The American aerospace firm McDonnell Douglas built the first F-15 in the early 1970, nearly fifty years ago. The air superiority fighter continues to enjoy success on the international market, and is in service with Israel, Saudi Arabia, Japan, Singapore, as well as the United States. The airframes continue to be
.
Japan currently operates over two hundred F-15J (single seat) and F-15DJ (two seat) airframes. These airplanes, based on the American F-15C, were manufactured under license by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. They are getting a bit long in the tooth however—the first of the Japanese-standard F-15J was delivered nearly forty years ago, in 1981........ to read further, click on the link above.
