Japan pays a premium for locally built F-35s

[adroth]

Japan pays a premium for locally built F-35s
Jon Grevatt, Bangkok - IHS Jane's Defence Industry
14 March 2018

http://www.janes.com/article/78571/japan-pays-a-premium-for-locally-built-f-35s
   
Japan has confirmed that local production of the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter adds USD33 million to each aircraft. Source: Lockheed Martin/Thinh

Key Points

F-35s assembled in Japan cost about USD33 million more than imported types
Japan could look to improve costs efficiencies through expanded local involvement

The cost of locally building Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II fighter aircraft for the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) is about USD33 million more than importing the same aircraft from the United States, Jane’s has learnt.

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[adroth]

Japan deploys first F-35A fighter jet to Misawa AB | Air Recognition - 28 January 2018

Japan deployed its first F-35A stealth fighter on Friday at the Misawa Air Base in Aomori Prefecture in the country's northeast, the country's defense ministry stated on January 26, 2018. The deployment of the next-generation fighter marks the beginning of the formation of an Air Self-Defense Force (ASDF) squadron comprising 10 of the jets at the base from the next fiscal year starting in April, the defense ministry said.

Japan's first F-35A fighter jet at Misawa AB (Credit: JASDF)

[adroth]

JASDF receives first F-35 at Luke AFB | IHS Jane's 360 - 02 December 2016

The arrival of aircraft 69-8701 (also designated AX-1) at the 944th Fighter Wing (FW) marks a significant milestone in the JASDF's F-35A programme to replace its ageing Mitsubishi-McDonnell Douglas F-4J Kai (Phantom II) aircraft that have been in service since the early 1970s.

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Japan has committed itself to buying 28 F-35As over the next five years (six of which are under contract), and has a total requirement of 42 aircraft. After the fleet begins arriving in-country in fiscal year 2017, it will initially be based at Misawa. The initial operating unit is expected to be either 301 or 302 Squadron.

Japan Air Self-Defense Force maintainers pose for a photo on 28 November to mark the arrival of the first Japanese F-35A at Luke Air Force Base in Arizona. Source: US Air Force

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Japan rolls out first domestically built F-35 | IHS Jane's 360 - 05 June 2017

The conventional take-off and landing (CTOL) F-35A for the Japan Air Self-Defense force (JASDF) was unveiled at the site of the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) F-35 Final Assembly and Check Out (FACO) facility in Nagoya in central Japan.

Japan is one of only two F-35 customers outside of the United States to have a FACO production facility, with Italy being the other. The JASDF is to receive 42 F-35As, of which 38 will be built by MHI at its FACO (the first four aircraft are being built by Lockheed Martin at its Fort Worth facility in Texas). Designated AX-5, work on this first Japanese-produced aircraft began in December 2015.

As well as assembling F-35As, the FACO will also provide maintenance, repair, overhaul, and upgrade services to F-35s based in the North Asia-Pacific region from about 2018. Source: Lockheed Martin

[Ayoshi]

Japan deploys second F-35A to Misawa Air Base | Janes - 18 May 2018

The fifth-generation fighter, which arrived at Misawa on 15 May, was the third aircraft to undergo Final Assembly and Check Out (FACO) at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries’ Komaki-South plant in the Japanese city of Nagoya, according to the Ministry of Defense (MoD) in Tokyo.

Five additional F35As, which are currently being used for training and tests in the United States, are set to be deployed to the base on 26 May, said Japanese Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera earlier that day, pointing out that a seven-aircraft unit is expected to be formed by the end of the month.

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Japan Set to Procure F-35B STOVL Aircraft for JMSDF Izumo-class 'helicopter destroyer' | Navy Recognition - 26 November 10:45

According to the NNN report, the Japanese government decision to introduce the F-35B is related to China strengthening its expansion into the ocean. Japan aims to strengthen the defense capabilities of the Southwestern islands including the Senkaku Islands.

The Japanese government will incorporate its decision in the Defense Outline that will be announced next month after showing these policies to both Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and Komei parties.

In February 2018, the Yomiuri Shimbun reported that Japan was planning to acquire 40 vertical takeoff and landing F-35Bs, which could be operated from these ships with some alterations. In March this year, the ruling LDP called upon the Japanese government to develop its own aircraft carriers and operate F-35B aircraft, which has been thought to include refitting the Izumo class.

[Ayoshi]

Japan to acquire 105 additional F-35 aircraft | Air Recognition - 10 January 2019 13:54

The Japanese government has announced its intention to purchase 105 additional F-35 aircraft for its national Air Force, leading the amount of their new acquisitions to a total of 147 brand new F-35 multirole aircraft.

Japan had already purchased 42 F-35As, produced by Lockheed Martin, and is now about to purchase 63 additional F-35As and 42 F-35Bs which are the Short TakeOff Vertical Landing (STOVL) version of the F-35. This purchase has been decided to gradually replace more than 100 pre-MSIP F-15Js aircraft.

[Ayoshi]

Japan to stop in-country assembly of F-35 fighter jets  | Air Recognition - 18 January 2019 14:20

Japan has taken the local final assembly and checkout, or FACO, route since 2013 for the final assembly of F-35As it previously ordered. Yet, the FACO facility may continue to carry out production work until February 22 to fulfill the F-35As contracted by Japan.

According to Japanese budget documents, the country agreed to purchase 24 of the F-35As, with each aircraft costing an average $144 million, although the cost per aircraft has been on a downward trend.

In addition to the 42 F-35As, Japan has also indicated its desire to procure a further 105 F-35s, which will include 42 of the F-35B short-takeoff-and-vertical-landing variant. The defense plan has called for the acquisition of 45 F-35s over the next five years, of which 18 will be F-35Bs.

Japanese F-35A (Picture source: Lockheed Martin)

[Ayoshi]

https://www.janes.com/article/87088/japan-gears-up-to-boost-f-35-support

Japan gears up to boost F-35 support - 08 March 2019

A spokesperson from the Japanese Ministry of Defense’s (MoD’s) Acquisition, Technology & Logistics Agency (ATLA) told Jane’s on 6 March that the country's maintenance, repair, overhaul, and upgrade (MRO&U) facility is being prepared with a view to providing such support to F-35 aircraft within the next few years.

The spokesperson said the facility’s initial work will be focused on supporting the airframes of F-35 aircraft operated by the Japan Air Self Defense Force (JASDF).

[Ayoshi]

https://www.shephardmedia.com/news/defence-notes/kongsberg-signs-jsm-contract-japan/

Kongsberg signs JSM contract with Japan
15th March 2019 - 07:30 GMT

The JSM is a fifth generation long-range sea- and land-target missile that can be carried internally in the F-35. The missile includes advanced mission planning system to exploit sea and land geography. It employs a highly accurate navigation system and low altitude flight profile, and automatic target recognition is supported by an advanced imaging infrared seeker.

[Ayoshi]

https://www.janes.com/article/87553/japan-stands-up-first-operational-f-35a-unit

Japan stands-up first operational F-35A unit
29 March 2019

The milestone took place at the home of the 3rd Air Wing at Misawa Air Base in the northern part of Honshū island, and saw 302nd Squadron swap its McDonnell Douglas-Mitsubishi F-4EJ-Kai Phantom IIs for the F-35A. As well as transitioning over to the new type, the unit has relocated from Hyakuri Air Base to replace the Provisional F-35 Squadron located at Misawa Air Base.

[Ayoshi]

Japan wants to be an official F-35 partner. The Pentagon plans to say no.

Sources say Japan’s request to join the partnership creates major political headaches for the Pentagon, with fears it would cause new tensions among the international production base for the joint strike fighter and open the door for other customer nations to demand a greater role in future capability development.

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The decision was documented in an April 2002 memo by the Pentagon’s acquisition executive stating that, “except for those countries with which we are already engaged in Level III System Development and Demonstration partnership negotiation by 15 July 2002, we will not be able to accommodate any additional Level III partners due to our inability to offer equitable government-to-government benefits and U.S. industry’s inability to offer equitable 'best value’ workshare arrangements,” according to Schiff.

The F-35 partners in 2007 reiterated in a separate memo that only the partners who participated in the development phase of the F-35 program would be eligible to remain partners during the production, sustainment and modernization stages.

A source familiar with internal discussions says the Pentagon is concerned that letting Japan become a program partner would lead to other nations demanding similar access.

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Global impact

There are two tiers of participation in the F-35 program. The first-tier members are considered “partners” in the program, which comes with direct involvement in the joint program office. That includes having national representatives stationed in the JPO, weighing in on decisions about future capabilities, and deciding what future industrial participation looks like.

And that industrial participation is important — building parts of the jet that go into the global supply chain is expected to net the partner nations billions in revenue over the lifetime of the program. The partners are made up of the first nine nations to sign onto the program: Australia, Canada, Denmark, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States.

The second tier consists of “customers” for the jet, comprising nations that came later to the program. Those nations command less industrial participation, lack voting power on what future development of the jet looks like, and do not have officials assigned to the JPO. That tier is made up of Israel, South Korea, Belgium and Japan, but could expand in the future with Finland, Singapore and other nations.

https://www.defensenews.com/global/asia-pacific/2019/07/29/japan-wants-to-be-an-official-f-35-partner-the-pentagon-plans-to-say-no/?utm_source=clavis

[Ayoshi]

https://www.janes.com/article/90553/japan-selects-f-35b-for-stovl-requirement

Japan selects F-35B for STOVL requirement
20 August 2019

The procurement of STOVL aircraft and the conversion of the two Izumo-class helicopter carriers to accommodate them were outlined under the 2019–23 Mid-Term Defense Plan (MTDP) published in December 2018.

The document said the STOVL aircraft would “improve air operation capability, particularly on the Pacific side of Japan, where the number of airbases is limited”. It said the plan is to acquire 18 STOVL aircraft alongside 27 conventional take-off F-35As over the five-year period.