Japan has expressed its dissatisfaction with the F-35 fighter planes and is rethinking options for another fighter with more enhanced features including a higher capacity of carrying air-to-air missiles, according to a report by Eurasian Times.
The country had announced the sixth-generation stealth fight aircraft program three years ago which was popularly known as F-X or F-3. Taking the growing disputes from China and North Korea into consideration, the Japan Air Self Defense Force (JASDF) has been seriously rethinking the fighter's capacity to carry missiles compared to the American supplied F-35 Lightning II aircraft.
To enable the F-3 fighters to hold more missiles, Japan will need to create a stealth fighter with a layout comparable to the F-22 Raptor or acquire a non-stealthy plane similar to F-15EX.
The US aerospace giant Lockheed Martin has offered to co-develop a new design for F-3 planes that will have the airframe of the F-22 stealth fighter and the F-35’s sensors and electronics. The US aero giant will be also be meddling with the 'no-export policy of the US government in regard to the F-22 Raptors with this deal.
The F-35A fighters can only fit up to four AIM-120 air-to-air missiles while China's J-20 has the capacity of 6 missiles and US Air Force’s F-22 can fit eight missiles in its bays.
A plane’s radar signature is boosted significantly by external weaponry. A radar-evading fighter must carry its ammunition internally to stay stealthy. However, this puts the fighter at a disadvantage in a close-quarters battle where the missile count matters.
The development of the new F-3 planes is expected to strengthen Japan's air defenses by providing then a fighter that will have enhanced performance.
Amid the rising disparities between China and Japan over the South and the East China Sea, JASDF has started looking into enhancing its air defense system. The growing Chinese influence over waters and airspace around the southwestern lands has alarmed several nations including Japan.
In addition to this, China is strengthening its ties with Russia and launching joint military activities raising greater concerns.
