An F-35A fighter. Will this plane be part of the blueprint for Japan's F-3 jet?
For some, that decision may seem a bit odd, and one reason sticks out.
Japan's constitution outlaws war as a means of settling international disputes involving the state, but in recent years, the country has begun to adopt a more aggressive policy with regards to its military.
While there might be some bickering over why the country is interested in strengthening its military, it’s pretty obvious that Japan is becoming wary of North Korea's nuclear potential and its bellicose use of missile tests that skirt Japan's sovereign territory. Add to that a China that's becoming more assertive in the South China Sea, and it's no surprise that the Japanese military is looking to bolster its air superiority.
To ensure that its armed forces can keep the nation safe, Japan has signaled to Lockheed Martin and Boeing that it would like help developing a stealth fighter that would combine the attributes of the F-22 and F-35 fighter jets into a single aircraft dubbed the F-3.
As of now, both U.S defense giants are in the process of determining if they can even take up the Japanese proposal, given that U.S. law prohibits the export of F-22 technology.
Still, a spokesperson from Lockheed extolled a positive tone about the project saying, "We look forward to exploring options for Japan’s F-2 replacement fighter in cooperation with both the Japanese and U.S. governments. Our leadership and experience in 5th-generation aircraft can be leveraged to cost-effectively provide capabilities to meet Japan’s future security needs."
While legislators determine whether it’s in America's best interest to deliver some of its high-tech aerospace technologies into the hands of allied engineers, one has to wonder why the Japanese aren't just adopting the F-22 or F-35? Have the F-35’s cost overruns and serious engineering flaws turned Japan's military away from the aircraft? And if so, why would the Japanese go back to the same companies that developed both fifth-generation fighters?
In the coming months, we'll learn more about whether Japan's air superiority goals can be met with U.S involvement, or if the country will have to seek other partners to help it meet its security needs.