Japan Unveils New 5th Generation Stealth Fighter Jet

Japan Unveils New 5th Generation Stealth Fighter Jet

      This Thursday, Japan’s new Acquisition, Technology and Logistics Agency revealed the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Advanced Technology Demonstrator – Experimental (ATD-X) fifth-generation fighter technology demonstrator, now dubbed X-2 and unofficially named ‘ShinShin,’ to the media at a heavily guarded hangar at a regional airport near the city of Komaki, in Aichi Prefecture. It has previously been showcased once already in May 2014.

    The X-2 is the country’s first domestically produced full-scale test model—a technology demonstrator—of a new indigenous stealth fighter jet design, which has been under development at a Mitsubishi Heavy Industries plant in Toyoyama since 2009, with total program costs estimated at 39.4 billion yen (around $331 million).

   The aircraft—an “advanced technology demonstration unit,” according to the Defense Technical Research and Development Institute –unveiled to the press will not be armed and is slated to be retired in three years, after having undergone extensive tests of advanced fifth-generation fighter technologies, for which Japan’s Defense Ministry has allocated 2.3 billion yen ($19.3 million) in the next fiscal year alone. 

    It will be a testbed platform for multiple technologies including next generation electronically scanned array radar systems, multi-dimensional 3D thrust vectoring concepts, and fine-tune the aircraft’s stealth capabilities. (The X-2 features a special carbon-fiber composite material that absorbs radar waves.)

   The X-2 program’s goal is to eventually produce Japan’s first indigenously-designed fifth-generation air superiority fighter, designated F-3, with serial production slated to begin in 2027, although various delays in the development of the X-2 prototype including issues with the engine control software –scheduled to be fully developed by 2018– make a later date more likely.

    The X-2 with a length of 14.2 meters and a wingspan of 9.1meters is scheduled to make its maiden flight in February 2016. I explained in my earlier piece:

    Prior to its first test-flight, the aircraft will undergo extensive taxiing and ground trials at the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries testing center located in Aichi Prefecture on Japan’s main island of Honshu. From there the fighter prototype is expected to fly to Gifu Air Field, an airbase of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force, situated in the neighboring prefecture of Gifu sometime in February.

   Lockheed-Martin is purported involved in the development of the X-2 prototype. The American aircraft maker was prohibited from selling its F-22 Raptor stealth air superiority fighter to Japan in the 2000s, causing Tokyo’s defense industry to kick-start development of the X-2.

The aircraft unveiled this Thursday is the only X-2 prototype constructed so far.

Article first published in The Diplomat

Show off in South China Sea, India Joins with Pacific Nations and US

Show off in South China Sea, India Joins with Pacific Nations and US

    As China slowly making it's stance in south China sea, countries like Philippines and Vietnam shows it's restrain by conducting naval patrol close to Chinese artificial island in south China sea, that won't prevent the Chinese constructions, even the US tries some tricky maneuvers over the island, not only in south China sea, China already makes it's tough stance in Japanese Senkaku Diaoyu Island, and the known ADIZ zone in east China sea,and they continuing their advancement in far south China sea by claiming Spratly and Paracel Islands.

    China almost gained full power in South China sea, where they can defeat any foreign Navy's or Allied forces, if those countries didn't stop the Chinese advancement, then they could loose their tiny islands for no reason, and China fields his massive army nearby their door steps, Not only in south China sea, China slowly moving into Indian Ocean and almost managed to lease a Maldivian island, the Island named Atolls, initially China says that atoll island used only for tourism and research purpose and it's clear they can mass the forces in case of any possible skirmish with India or US Navy. the US has a base in Indian Ocean named Diego Garcia,also in Bay of Bengal China has a Island which was ceased from Myanmar, named Coco Island.

    So the point is, there is a need of Multi national alliance, which can stop Chinese aggressive maneuvers, The US is always poised to counter the Chinese advancement, however they didn't get enough support from nearby countries, before the Victim country tries to confront the Chinese advancement, US goes first and makes the issue as Headline, that was proven many times, flying it's advanced P8 A plane over the ADIZ, later only countries like Japanese and South Korean performed counter maneuvers,

    India never tries to enter such global events, however that's no more, the new government almost takes a side in the Global events, to counter react any Chinese aggressive movements, after satellite pictures appeared of Artificial island construction, India send a flotilla of warships to conduct friendly surveillance with Philippines Navy, later they went to Vietnam and continue their patrols with Vietnamese Navy, India's major interests in the South China sea is the Natural deposits inside the Vietnam waters, where ONGC signs a agreement to explore the deposits, earlier last year the Navy Chief Joshi sounds that, India can deploy it's Naval forces in South China sea to protect Indian interests, that's the first strong message sent to China in recent years,

    Recently, The Chinese Officials acknowledged the New Australian PM's comment about South China sea, Prime minister Malcolm said "China to ease off on island construction in the South China Sea if it wants a reduced US presence in the region". He also says "Australia enjoyed very good relations with China, but described Beijing's South China Sea foreign policy as counter-productive".  and China reacted as Australia should respect Chinese interest in South China sea,

    Also the US Senate Armed Service Committee, expressed that the Pacific command should increase surveillance flights over Chinese illegally claimed islands, they also said Preventing the Chinese from further militarizing those features a range of options including freedom of navigation exercises and US is  considering those options now.  Means in coming days, The US Could increases it's surveillance flights over illegal Chinese Islands, that makes small skirmishes in south china sea, 

   As India also showing it's increased interests in global politics, India and US almost drafting a plan to stop Chinese advancement in both South china sea and Indian Ocean, the alliance included Australia, Japan and South Korea, these countries can perform Scheduled exercise near those disputed waters, which gives benefits to all Pacific Nations and India.

Chinese Stealth Bomber

Chinese Stealth Bomber

Model of Chinese Bomber with four cruise Missiles

      Recent days there were hundreds of arts speculating proposed model of Chinese next generation sub sonic stealth bomber, where Americans are already a leader in both subsonic and supersonic Stealth and non stealth Bombers, Now the Russians who planning to build a Next generation stealth Bomber without saying sub or super sonic concepts, So Chinese too stepped with this Long Range bombers.

        As of now Americans only have good bombers with stealth low Flying Supersonic Swept wing Bomber the Lancer B 1, second of that B 2 which is a Long Range subsonic super stealth Bomber, B 52 comes only third of it because of it's length payload and hard points makes it-decent standoff capability.

       When comes to Russia, they also have a  supersonic swept wing Bomber, but don't have good stealth aspects, and they were upgrading it to compete in future Battles, so they have also a requirement of Long range bomber, Russians already have a program named PAK DA but the project was shelved due to budget problems, they have some Tu 22 Supersonic bombers they are not a bombers but it's a Cruise Missile carriers originally designed to Strike US Navy Ships.

      China planning a good Bomber, but they lacks in serious aeronautics structures to build or invent Bigger Aircraft suitable for Military bombers unlike western and Americans they have bigger facilities and technical advantages compared to China, There were pictures art of Chinese bombers ever three months rolled out in internet. but they were easily debunked by Internet based military analysts. This time too Chinese fan boys bring an Model, showing a mix of YF 23, PAK DA model and Su 34 cockpit and carrying four Long range Cruise missiles two in each wings.

     But this looks better improved than the previously published Model of Chinese Bombers.

    The Picture seems nothing but a good art without good aero structural knowledge the Air intakes are good examples for that, they looks for the Internal weapons bays bigger so they shifted the Air intake above the airframe, but missed it's size.

The picture seems crazy cause it was flying above the Japanese Senaku Diyou Islands, I sure Japanese comes with a Picture of F 2 hunting a chines bomber above senaku Islands.

Chinese Bomber above Senaku Islands

Russian Model of PAK DA Bomber

Russian Bomber Model