According to the Defense Security Cooperation Agency the Foreign Military Sale (FMS) is for 63 F-35As and 42 F-35Bs.
Japan has been cleared by the US State Department to buy 105 F-35 Joint Strike Fighters.
According to the Defense Security Cooperation Agency the Foreign Military Sale (FMS) is for 63 F-35As and 42 F-35Bs: ‘The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of Japan of one hundred five (105) F-35 Joint Strike Fighter aircraft and related equipment for an estimated cost of $23.11 billion. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale today.
‘The Government of Japan has requested to buy sixty-three (63) F-35A Conventional Take Off and Landing (CTOL) aircraft, forty-two (42) F-35B Short Take-Off and Vertical Landing (STOVL) aircraft, and one hundred ten (110) Pratt and Whitney F135 engines (includes 5 spares). Also included are Electronic Warfare Systems; Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Intelligence/Communications, Navigation and Identification; Autonomic Logistics Global Support System, Autonomic Logistics Information System; Flight Mission Trainer; Weapons Employment Capability, and other Subsystems, Features, and Capabilities; F-35 unique infrared flares; reprogramming center access and F-35 Performance Based Logistics; software development/integration; flight test instrumentation; aircraft ferry and tanker support; spare and repair parts; support equipment, tools and test equipment; technical data and publications; personnel training and training equipment; U.S. Government and contractor engineering, technical, and logistics support services; and other related elements of logistics support. The estimated total cost is $23.11 billion.
‘The proposed sale of aircraft and support will augment Japan’s operational aircraft inventory and enhance its air-to-air and air-to-ground self-defense capability. The Japan Air Self-Defense Force’s F-4 aircraft are being decommissioned as F-35s are added to the inventory. Japan will have no difficulty absorbing these aircraft into its armed forces.’
Back in 2018 Nikkei speculated that the order of the B-variant would allow Japan to operate the F-35 from its Izumo-class warships.
Moreover as we have previously explained, Japan’s neighbors are busy introducing their own advanced military aircraft.
China deployed its J-20 stealth fighter in February, and by 2030 some experts expect the country to build a fleet of more than 250 fifth-generation jets – as the latest generation of fighters like the F-35 is known.
Russia, too, is expected to introduce its fifth-generation Sukhoi Su-57.
To keep up, Tokyo believes it is imperative to significantly increase its procurement of the most sophisticated stealth jets.
Photo credit: Lockheed Martin
