The World's 4th, 4.5 & 5th Generation Fighters

Re: J-20... The New Generation Fighter II

rhino123 said:

Yes, that is why I say US influences had a great impact on Japanese aviation industry and their ability to develope their own fighter. However we must also note that at the time of the F-2 and most probably F-1, the Japanese do not really have any reason for fielding anything more advance, since they came under the 'protectorate' of US and China do not really field many credible fighters (the bulk being J-7 and J-8, and J-10 was really either not in existence or not in significant enough numbers. And I think J-11B is not in existence too.

However, as China's J-20 flew and programs like the J-16, JH-7B(if it is proven to be in existence), AWAC and other advance weaponries came into existence, I would imagine Japan's nervousness and whether US would be willing to aid them when things went horribly wrong. Thus things might get different now and I believe Japan had all the reason to start beefing up their own defence industry.

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I think those are just excuses for Japan to remilitarize. The F-22s stationed at Okinawa are sufficient deterence for the next eight years.

Re: J-20... The New Generation Fighter II

siegecrossbow said:

I think those are just excuses for Japan to remilitarize. The F-22s stationed at Okinawa are sufficient deterence for the next eight years.

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Yes those might just be reasons or among the reasons for the Japanese to beef up their defence industuries. But it sure is going to be an interesting year or two. With the Chinese coming up strong and with so many projects in line, I do not think the Japanese (and maybe the SK), would be sitting by, doing nothing at all.

So, I could safely predict that within this year or next, we will be hearing alot of announcement from these three countries of new developement relating to weaponries.

Re: J-20... The New Generation Fighter II

rhino123 said:

Yes those might just be reasons or among the reasons for the Japanese to beef up their defence industuries. But it sure is going to be an interesting year or two. With the Chinese coming up strong and with so many projects in line, I do not think the Japanese (and maybe the SK), would be sitting by, doing nothing at all.

So, I could safely predict that within this year or next, we will be hearing alot of announcement from these three countries of new developement relating to weaponries.

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The South Koreans are totting their 4.5th gen fighter, the KF-X. They've gotten Indonesia and maybe Turkey to join in (Turkey isn't going to use the F-35 for air superiority).

Re: J-20... The New Generation Fighter II

siegecrossbow said:

The South Koreans are totting their 4.5th gen fighter, the KF-X. They've gotten Indonesia and maybe Turkey to join in (Turkey isn't going to use the F-35 for air superiority).

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Now that you mentioned it... I read through some of the info found on the net...




It seemed true that Indonesia and SK are jointly developing the 4.5gen fighter, whereby Indonesia had a 20% stake in it and maybe the aircraft will be produce in Indonesia too... that was sometime last year on July. I want what is the progress as of today.

Re: J-20... The New Generation Fighter II

Well... look like the flying of the J-20 is not a bad thing for sales pitch for the US defence industries.




With the 'imagined' fear or reason, Japan might be buying the F-35, Super Hornets, etc. So China had actually indirectly help the US bring in big businesses to boast their economy

Re: The World's 4th,4.5 & 5th Generation Fighters

Groundless articles in the way of some US economical interests, pushing hard some sales to old subordinated allies, trying to secure some military projects in real danger, like the JSF, where some partners are no more interested in a so costly fighter, they even don t know the assets in front of mature 4.5 gen fighters. Facts and figures.

Re: The World's 4th,4.5 & 5th Generation Fighters

Well... facts is, Japan might felt a pressure after see how modernisation had been carrying up in earnest in China and that they could not get the F-22 from US (which was consistent to both articles I posted), and at present moment, the Japanese had large number of F-4s which was by no mean inferior when compared to J-10, J-11 and Su-30. They needed a new fighter, and quickly.

To develope their own fighters might be out of the question under US's pressure and so the most valid way was to purchase US fighters. F-35 might have run into big troubles, but which new aircraft don't? And I could imagine that F-35 might reach operation status faster than the Chinese's J-20. So it is a viable option for the Japanese.

Also the US is actually pushing sales of the Super Hornets and F-15 (maybe the silent eagle version) to Japan too, these are essentially 4.5gen fighters.

Re: The World's 4th,4.5 & 5th Generation Fighters

All the talks about "quick and easy solutions" to counter stealth fighters, I think, may actually benefit China a lot more. The J-20 probably won't appear in significant number until 2017-2018 so all those crazy ideas floating around may inspire the engineers at CAC and SAC to come up with stealth fighter counters of their own.

Since you mentioned it... maybe there is a conspiracy after all. Wouldn't it be funny if China actually wanted to help the U.S. out economically by boosting its arms sales?

Re: The World's 4th,4.5 & 5th Generation Fighters

rhino123 said:

And I could imagine that F-35 might reach operation status faster than the Chinese's J-20.

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Actually, it will reach operational status for the conventional take-off version 4-6 years before the J-20.

Overall, the F-35 program completed 321 test flights last year, and is working toward a total of 394 test flight for 2010. There are already 19 aircraft flying.

13 USAF F-35As. First production aircraft for the F-35A (CTOL) for the Air Force is projected for next year.

4 US Marine F-35B VTOL models are already flying, and they expect to get first operational aircraft by 2016.

2 US Navy F-35C CATOBAR aircraft are already flying. They expect operational aircraft to be delivered in the 4th quarter of 2014.

A contract for a total of 31 more aircraft was recently completed. This calles for:

10 more US Airforce aircraft.
16 more US Marine aircraft.
4 more US Navy aircraft.
1 STOVL aircraft of the UK Royal Navy.

That will make a total of fifty aircraft flying.

With US Airforce in service capability next year, that means a good 4-6 years of full production experience with the aircraft before it is expected the first J-20 will go into production. By then, the US Navy will also have had the aircraft in production for 2-4 years, and the US Marines for 1-3 years with the VTOL version. At that point, hundreds of aircraft will be flying with several different countries.

See:

Re: The World's 4th,4.5 & 5th Generation Fighters

Good salesman, pal! Applause...