Do they have suitable engines for such a plane? They need a twin engine plane which is a lot safer than the F35.
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Do they have suitable engines for such a plane? They need a twin engine plane which is a lot safer than the F35.
Japan's fighter quandary is a big mess. While I agree that a 2-engine fighter is better suited for them, I don't know if there are any good options out there. The F-2 is long out of production and it was a single engine fighter to begin with, the F-15J has two engines but it's also long out of production. I doubt it'd be worthwhile to resurrect either of these planes.
For the other Western fighters in production, we have the Gripen (1 engine), the Rafale (2 engines), the Typhoon (2 engines), F-16V (1 engine), and F-15EX (2 engines). None of these are a good fit for Japan so I think that the F-35 would still be a better choice. I suppose that Japan might wait around for the KAAN, but that feels like a step backwards. The KF-21 might be an option as well, but it's probably too embarrassing politically. At that point, Japan might as well place an order with Shenyang!
For the other Western fighters in production, we have the Gripen (1 engine), the Rafale (2 engines), the Typhoon (2 engines), F-16V (1 engine), and F-15EX (2 engines). None of these are a good fit for Japan so I think that the F-35 would still be a better choice. I suppose that Japan might wait around for the KAAN, but that feels like a step backwards. The KF-21 might be an option as well, but it's probably too embarrassing politically. At that point, Japan might as well place an order with Shenyang!
GCAP might actually be ready before F-47 so it doesn't make much sense to abandon the program. And I doubt that Japan has the wherewithal to make indigenous variants of the F-35 or F-47. The former is going to be an absolute nightmare given the kind of mess the software situation is in, and you'd be nuts to think that the F-47 is going to be any better. And that would only be possible if the US gives permission to begin with.They'll probably end up buying more F-35s as a stopgap and then the F-47 when it comes out since it was already offered to them. I don't expect Japan to ever develop their own fighter again unless they are absolutely forced to. They just don't have it in them anymore (for many many reasons). However, they could potentially make a "kai" version of the F-35 and F-47 down the line. As far as I know, they do already produce the F-35A locally (finally assembly and maybe some parts of it, I'm not sure).
Don't count on that. The article stated that the nations involved in GCAP (other than Japan) don't feel the urgency and need to accelerate development, while the US is clearly in very, VERY, urgent need of the F-47 before China starts fielding their 6th gens in large numbers and dunking on them in the west pacific. I fully expect the americans to take significant risks and even sacrifice some test pilot lifes in order to get the F-47 on time, and while I don't think that will happen, it will probably still be faster than GCAP.GCAP might actually be ready before F-47 so it doesn't make much sense to abandon the program.
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I base my idea on how far little progress the F-47 has made so far. Building such complicated aircraft can only be sped up so much. The GCAP seems to have a design in mind, and I wouldn't be surprised if there's a flying prototype by 2030. The F-47 seems to be a much more ambitious design and Boeing probably doesn't even have a final design at this point. 2030 is the absolute earliest that they can get a prototype flying. Even if the GCAP is behind schedule, it should still be fairly close to the induction date of the F-47 and it'd be way better for Japan to have their own plane.Don't count on that. The article stated that the nations involved in GCAP (other than Japan) don't feel the urgency and need to accelerate development, while the US is clearly in very, VERY, urgent need of the F-47 before China starts fielding their 6th gens in large numbers and dunking on them in the west pacific. I fully expect the americans to take significant risks and even sacrifice some test pilot lifes in order to get the F-47 on time, and while I don't think that will happen, it will probably still be faster than GCAP.