The Japanese Air Force needs to upgrade to a fighter with air superiority with China's People's Liberation Army Air Force already undergoing modernization.
The answer is a 6th generation craft that will surpass the faux J-20.
Determining this move is Japan's new PM, Yoshihide Suga, who needs to bolster Japan defenses against an encroaching China.
Other countries in the QUAD, including the U.S., Australia, and India, need all the upgrading they can muster as China looms as a serious threat. Japan needs to wake up and ignite its potential that China will be unwilling to cross, as reported by Eurasian Times.
One of the most urgent tasks is replacing its outdated F-2 fighters, especially with the threat of the J-20 that is significantly newer and more advanced.
A proposal by Taro Kano, who retired recently, is to get unmanned jets that would be less expensive. This would be introduced in the next 20 years.
Even the United States Air Force (USAF) is toying with Robo-jets as another option. One example is the lethal MQ-9 Reaper drones of the Americans that are far cheaper to acquire than an F-22 or F-35.
Kono thought it was best to go for Robo-fighters since they could have a greater number of them.
But the plan was aborted when Japanese officials decided to produce a Japan-made and designed sixth-generation fighter themselves. Originally Japan planned to work with another party that would have different logistics.
They will start working on the plan and design of the new type of jets in 2024, with the help of the United Kingdom or British aerospace companies.
The new fighters are targeted to be ready to fly in 2035. The last of the F-2s will be retired in 2035 as well.
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The estimated cost for the new fighter is projected at US$1.2 trillion, definitely more expensive than a drone. From 2025 to the late 2030s, these new fighters will be serving Air Force units that have the outdated F-2s that are modified from F-16s.
Japan has been buying U.S. F-35s stealth fighters that satisfy its current requirements but mulled over getting another foreign design. The current Japanese administration has chosen to use the F-35 as interim fighters until the F-3 is ready for deployment.
Planners have been sketching what the F-3 6th generation fighter will look like. The final design will be selected by those connected to the project. Two of the most important characteristics are two engines and a built-in weapons bay for internal weapons.
Next on the agenda is how well the next-gen fighters will perform to take on the J-20 or any adversary in 2020. Next year will be another set of what needs to be added that will be used for the first flight in 2030.
One of the components that will be used is advanced high-thrust XF 9-1 turbofan engines and active electronically scanned array radars as integral systems.
Conversely, the J-20 has yet to finish its intended engine and other systems. It will be obsolete when the F-3 is flying.
In 2030, the Japanese Air Force will have a fighter that will be as good as most 6th generation fighters flying by that time.
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