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Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Trump Offers F-47 Sixth-Gen Fighter To Japan: Reports
Boeing's F-47 sixth-generation stealth fighter has been pitched to Japan by U.S. President Donald Trump, according to reports. The idea of an export-configured F-47 was brought up by Trump when he announced Boeing's win in the U.S. Air Force's Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) manned combat jet initiative in March. Meanwhile, Japan is reportedly also considering increasing its purchase of F-35 fifth-generation stealth fighters, prompted by concerns over the timeline for the Global Combat Air Program (GCAP), a sixth-generation combat jet being pursued jointly by Italy, Japan, and the United Kingdom. A possible sale of the F-47 to Tokyo was raised during a phone call between Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba last week, according to a report from the Japanese daily newspaper Asahi Shimbun. According to this source, the short-notice call was confirmed by Ishiba administration officials and came just before a visit to the United States by Ryosei Akazawa, Japan's top trade negotiator, for talks on Trump's economic tariffs. Trump and Ishiba are said to have discussed the strengthening of the U.S.-Japanese military alliance, with the U.S. leader asking whether the Japanese prime minister agreed that '47' is a good number. The new Boeing fighter received the Mission Design Series designation F-47, echoing the fact that Trump is the 47th U.S. president. The Asahi Shimbun also reports that Trump praised the F-22 Raptor and the so-called F-55, a purported development of the F-35 that the U.S. president first mentioned while talking to the press earlier this month. Trump has described the F-55 as a twin-engined F-35, but there has been no confirmation from the manufacturer or the Pentagon that such an aircraft is in the works. According to Japanese officials, Trump asked whether Ishiba was interested in U.S.-made fighters and promised to get 'the best' for Japan. The same officials noted that the offer of buying U.S. combat jets was not tied to any tariff negotiations. At this stage, there's no sign that Tokyo is actively looking to add a new type of fighter jet to its inventory, although earlier this year, Ishiba did disclose an interest in buying C-17 Globemaster III transport aircraft from the United States. With Boeing's C-17 production line now shuttered, any such aircraft would have to be transferred from the U.S. Air Force or from an allied operator inventory. Officially, at least, Japan is still committed to the GCAP program, which aims to field a sixth-generation crewed fighter, which is known in the United Kingdom as Tempest. You can read more about what we know of this aircraft and its planned capabilities here. However, there are now indications that Japan may be concerned that the Tempest fighter will not be ready for service soon enough for its requirements. Citing two unnamed defense sources, Reuters reports today that Japan is looking at ways of filling a gap in its fighter fleet pending the likely delayed arrival of GCAP. One of those sources blamed a lack of urgency on the part of Italy and the United Kingdom for the slow pace of the GCAP initiative, while the other noted it was taking too long to align each country's concept of how the aircraft will operate. A British Ministry of Defense spokesperson told Reuters that: 'The United Kingdom, Italy and Japan are focused on delivering a next-generation combat aircraft for 2035 and we are making strong progress.' Recently, however, at least one senior British official in the GCAP team has mentioned the goal for Tempest replacing the U.K. Royal Air Force's Typhoon in the 2040s. The first option for Japan involves buying additional F-35s. Already, Japan is the largest overseas customer for the aircraft. The Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) is in the process of introducing 147 Joint Strike Fighters, in the form of 105 conventional takeoff and landing F-35As and 42 short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) F-35Bs. The STOVL jets will go aboard Japan's two Izumo class helicopter carriers, which have been modified to operate F-35Bs. Reuters reports that senior officials in Tokyo are now discussing the possibility of buying more F-35s, although the numbers involved are unclear. Currently, Japan has received 43 F-35As, while six F-35Bs have been delayed. Overall, delays in F-35 deliveries related to the introduction of critical upgrades have impacted the program significantly, and it's unclear how quickly the aircraft could be provided to Japan, even if they were to be ordered imminently. 'We have already paid for many items, and they haven't arrived,' a senior lawmaker from Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party told Reuters about the current F-35 delays. 'It's not right to be told to buy more when previous orders haven't been fulfilled.' However, if Japan does opt for more F-35s, that could come with a potential economic advantage, serving as a bargaining chip for Tokyo amid tariff talks with Washington. 'Japan's purchase of defense equipment would contribute to the U.S. trade surplus, so in that sense, it could be considered [in trade talks],' Ryosei Akazawa told reporters yesterday. The second option is to upgrade Japan's existing fourth-generation fighters. These comprise around 85 Mitsubishi F-2s and approximately 200 F-15Js. Already, 68 of the F-15Js have been earmarked for a long-awaited upgrade that will take them to F-15JSI Japanese Super Interceptor standard with the addition of new radar, electronic warfare systems, weapons, and possibly more. An upgrade to the F-2s would be a new development, but it would help ensure combat air capability until the arrival of the GCAP. However, were Japan to buy more F-35s, that could threaten the future of its involvement in GCAP altogether, and if the Japanese were to leave the program, it's far from certain whether Italy and the United Kingdom would be able to continue without them. Even with Japanese participation, there are questions about the feasibility of GCAP, not least because of the enormous pressure on the U.K. defense budget with various other big-ticket programs competing for funds. Provided that Trump's tentative offer of F-47s for Japan is firmed up, that would provide another route for Japan to acquire a sixth-generation fighter, on a similar or potentially more favorable timeline than GCAP. The F-22 was never offered for export, on account of the sensitive nature of its technologies, as you can read about here. But it seems increasingly likely that the F-47, or a version of it, might be sold. As one of America's closest military allies, Japan would be well-positioned to buy it, should it be offered. When announcing the F-47 contract award, Trump said that U.S. allies 'are calling constantly' with a view to obtaining an export version of the NGAD fighter. He said that the United States would be selling them to 'certain allies … perhaps toned-down versions. We'd like to tone them down about 10 percent, which probably makes sense, because someday, maybe they're not our allies, right?' For Japan, or any other potential export customer, the big problem is likely to be the cost, with the baseline F-47's unit cost expected to be at least twice that of an F-35, or in the $180 million to $200 million range, based on publicly available information. On the other hand, a somewhat downgraded NGAD crewed fighter, which should also be notably cheaper, could be a very interesting option for Japan, as an alternative to GCAP. It would give Japan the chance of operating America's top fighter, something it was never allowed to do with the F-22. It would also allow the JASDF to integrate more seamlessly with its U.S. counterparts, which is even more important than for European allies. Moreover, it could open the door to other export opportunities, notably Australia, which is increasingly cooperating with both the United States and Japan. For the U.S. Air Force, F-47 foreign sales would increase production numbers and could lower unit costs, as well as making maintenance less expensive. U.S. officials are already talking about different future iterations of the NGAD combat jet. The former Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology & Logistics, Andrew Hunter, recently suggested that the baseline F-47 might just be 'Increment 1' of the NGAD crewed combat jet initiative. An export-optimized increment would seem to make a lot of sense. On the other hand, buying more F-35s or F-47s would come with disadvantages, including reliance on the United States for operational support and sustainment at a time when even close allies are having doubts about the reliability of Washington as a strategic partner. With Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) having a major stake in GCAP, Japan will have sovereign control of the aircraft once it's delivered, meaning, for example, that it would be able to adapt or upgrade them without U.S. approval. Tokyo would also benefit from MHI's industrial partnership in GCAP, with revenues from every sale. For years now, Japan has been steadily increasing its military budget as it faces what its 2024 defense white paper described as 'the most severe and complex security environment since the end of World War II.' The three primary threats are identified as China's ambitions toward its southwestern archipelago, as well as Russian and North Korean missile and nuclear programs. While stepping away from the GCAP effort altogether would have considerable repercussions, far beyond Japan, further delays to that program might well force Tokyo to look at other options for its fighter force. Contact the author: thomas@
Japan Times
3 days ago
- Business
- Japan Times
Japan frets over fighter rollout target and weighs stopgap options, sources say
Japan has growing doubts that its next-generation fighter project with Britain and Italy will meet a 2035 rollout target, potentially forcing Tokyo to plug air defense gaps with new U.S. F-35 stealth planes or upgrades to aging jets, two sources said. The joint Global Combat Air Program (GCAP) established in 2022 is falling behind schedule due to a lack of urgency from Britain and Italy, which could push deployment beyond 2040, according to one of the sources. Both sources, who have knowledge of Japan's air defense discussions, were not authorized to speak to media and declined to be identified. Japan will need to begin planning soon if the GCAP is delayed to ensure it has enough jets to counter Chinese and Russian planes that regularly probe its air defenses. While senior officials are discussing the possibility of buying more F-35s, it was not clear if specific numbers or a timeline are under consideration. A swift decision to acquire more Lockheed Martin F-35s at around $100 million each could be a bargaining chip for Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba in tariff talks with U.S. President Donald Trump. Japan's chief trade negotiator, Ryosei Akazawa, will hold a fresh round of tariff talks with U.S. officials on Friday in Washington. Ishiba is also expected to meet Trump for their second in-person meeting in June at the Group of Seven leaders' gathering in Canada. "Japan's purchase of defense equipment would contribute to the U.S. trade surplus, so in that sense, it could be considered (in trade talks)," Akazawa told reporters on Thursday ahead of his departure for the U.S. capital. In 2019, in a move lauded at the time by Trump, then-Prime Minister Shinzo Abe ordered 105 F-35s, making Japan the aircraft's largest overseas buyer with a total of 147 on order. In a sign that Trump may again welcome Japanese purchases of U.S. military hardware, the Asahi newspaper reported that in a phone call with Ishiba on May 23, he discussed Boeing's planned F-47 fighter jet and encouraged his Japanese counterpart to consider U.S. aircraft. GCAP is an effort by Japan and its two European partners to build a next-generation fighter free from the operational restrictions that often come with purchases of U.S.-made military equipment. For example, buyers are often not allowed to do upgrades and maintenance without U.S. permission. The project is being led by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in Japan, BAE Systems in Britain and Leonardo in Italy. In Britain and Italy, GCAP will replace Eurofighter Typhoon jets that will be in operation until the 2040s. In Japan, it is meant to replace the F-2, a U.S. F-16 variant developed three decades ago by Mitsubishi Heavy and Lockheed Martin. Japan's concerns about a possible delay to GCAP's 2035 rollout stem from how much time is being taken to align each country's concept of how the aircraft will operate, said one of the sources. A spokesperson for the Japanese Defense Ministry's acquisition agency said the 2035 rollout target was unchanged, adding that the decommissioning of the F-2 is set to begin that year. "I am not aware of any plans to place additional orders for the F-35," he added. A British Ministry of Defence spokesperson said: "The U.K., Italy and Japan are focused on delivering a next generation combat aircraft for 2035 and we are making strong progress." The Italian Defence Ministry did not reply to a request for comment. Additional GCAP partners could include Saudi Arabia, which would bring funding and a lucrative market for the aircraft. Of the 147 F-35s Japan has ordered to date, 43 F-35As have been delivered while six F-35Bs, a short takeoff and vertical landing variant, have been delayed, making more purchases a contentious issue. Japan could instead opt to extend the operational life of its older F-2 fleet through upgrades. "We have already paid for many items, and they haven't arrived. It's not right to be told to buy more when previous orders haven't been fulfilled," a senior ruling Liberal Democratic Party lawmaker said, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the issue.
CNA
3 days ago
- Business
- CNA
Japan frets over fighter rollout target and weighs stopgap options, sources say
TOKYO: Japan has growing doubts that its next-generation fighter project with Britain and Italy will meet a 2035 rollout target, potentially forcing Tokyo to plug air defence gaps with new US F-35 stealth planes or upgrades to aging jets, two sources said. The joint Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) established in 2022 is falling behind schedule due to a lack of urgency from Britain and Italy, which could push deployment beyond 2040, according to one of the sources. Both sources, who have knowledge of Japan's air defence discussions, were not authorised to speak to media and declined to be identified. Japan will need to begin planning soon if the GCAP is delayed to ensure it has enough jets to counter Chinese and Russian planes that regularly probe its air defences. While senior officials are discussing the possibility of buying more F-35s, Reuters was not able to learn if specific numbers or a timeline are under consideration. A swift decision to acquire more Lockheed Martin F-35s at around US$100 million each could be a bargaining chip for Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba in tariff talks with US President Donald Trump. Japan's chief trade negotiator Ryosei Akazawa will hold a fresh round of tariff talks with US officials on Friday (May 30) in Washington. Ishiba is also expected to meet Trump for their second in-person meeting in June at the Group of Seven leaders' gathering in Canada. "Japan's purchase of defence equipment would contribute to the US trade surplus, so in that sense, it could be considered (in trade talks)," Akazawa told reporters on Thursday ahead of his departure for the US capital. In 2019, in a move lauded at the time by Trump, then Prime Minister Shinzo Abe ordered 105 F-35s, making Japan the aircraft's largest overseas buyer with a total of 147 on order. In a sign that Trump may again welcome Japanese purchases of US military hardware, the Asahi newspaper reported that in a phone call with Ishiba on May 23, he discussed Boeing's planned F-47 fighter jet and encouraged his Japanese counterpart to consider US aircraft. GCAP is an effort by Japan and its two European partners to build a next-generation fighter free from the operational restrictions that often come with purchases of US-made military equipment. For example, buyers are often not allowed to do upgrades and maintenance without US permission. The project is being led by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in Japan, BAE Systems in Britain and Leonardo in Italy. In Britain and Italy, GCAP will replace Eurofighter Typhoon jets that will be in operation until the 2040s. In Japan, it is meant to replace the F-2, a US F-16 variant developed three decades ago by Mitsubishi Heavy and Lockheed Martin. Japan's concerns about a possible delay to GCAP's 2035 rollout stem from how much time is being taken to align each country's concept of how the aircraft will operate, said one of the sources. A spokesperson for the Japanese defence ministry's acquisition agency said the 2035 rollout target was unchanged, adding that the decommissioning of the F-2 is set to begin that year. "I am not aware of any plans to place additional orders for the F-35," he added. A British Ministry of Defence spokesperson said the three countries were focused on the project and were "making strong progress." The Italian defence ministry did not reply to a request for comment. Additional GCAP partners could include Saudi Arabia, which would bring funding and a lucrative market for the aircraft. Of the 147 F-35s Japan has ordered to date, 43 F-35As have been delivered while six F-35Bs, a short-take off and vertical landing variant, have been delayed, making more purchases a contentious issue. Japan could instead opt to extend the operational life of its older F-2 fleet through upgrades. "We have already paid for many items, and they haven't arrived. It's not right to be told to buy more when previous orders haven't been fulfilled," a senior ruling Liberal Democratic Party lawmaker said, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the issue.
Japan Forward
5 days ago
- Business
- Japan Forward
DSEI Japan: Showcasing Innovation Amid Rising Threats
DSEI Japan, the country's largest defense trade exhibition, was held at Makuhari Messe in Chiba from May 21 to 23. Originally launched in the United Kingdom, the event has taken place in Japan biannually since 2021, making this its third running. The 2025 event was the largest to date, featuring 471 exhibitors from 33 countries. Japanese companies comprised roughly 40% of all participants, reflecting the nation's growing interest in the defense industry. On May 22, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba became the first sitting Japanese leader to attend the exhibition. He delivered a speech stressing his commitment to defense equipment collaboration with allies and partner nations. "Advancing collaboration in equipment transfer, joint development, and joint production is crucial for promoting peace and stability in Japan and the region," he said. Ishiba highlighted China's "unilateral attempts to change the status quo" in the East and South China Seas, North Korea's ballistic missile launches, and expanding military cooperation between Russia and North Korea. "The security environment is becoming increasingly severe," he said. Kawasaki Heavy Industries' unmanned helicopter can carry 200 kg of cargo. (©Hidemitsu Kaito) Ishiba added, "Equipment cooperation will help strengthen deterrence not only for our country but also for our allies and partners." The Prime Minister also mentioned the significance of Japan, the UK, and Italy collaborating on the next-generation fighter jet, the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP). "This will lay the foundation for broad coordination with the UK and Italy for generations to come," he said. After his speech, Ishiba toured the venue, observing the latest defense technology. The exhibition featured cutting-edge technologies, including gears, small arms, large ships, unmanned vehicles, and cybersecurity systems. Japan's Ministry of Defense drew particular attention with its "railgun" (electromagnetic cannon) designed to intercept hypersonic missiles. Japan's Ministry of Defense unveils "rail gun" at the DSEI exhibit (left) on May 21. (©Hidemitsu Kaito) Rising geopolitical tensions are boosting demand for unmanned aircraft and automated, labor-saving technologies. They are also accelerating innovation to enhance soldier safety. Sweden's SAAB showcased a training system for anti-tank recoilless rifles. Meanwhile, Turkish firm OTOKAR displayed an armored vehicle designed for countering anti-tank mines. A Ukrainian company unveiled a drone-based precision strike system, gaining attention for its technology honed through real combat experience. SAAB showcases a training system for firing anti-tank recoilless rifles. (©Hidemitsu Kaito) On May 21, United States Ambassador to Japan George Glass attended the opening ceremony at the US Pavilion. In his remarks, the ambassador emphasized the need for regional stability and stronger deterrence."Coordination among allies in the Indo-Pacific, joint development, and joint production are essential. Collaboration between American and Japanese defense industries is indispensable," he said. Ambassador George Glass speaks at the opening ceremony of the US Pavilion. (©Hidemitsu Kaito) Kawasaki Heavy Industries presented an unmanned helicopter capable of carrying up to 200 kilograms of supplies for potential use in island defense. Meanwhile, Rakuten Group emphasized its support for Ukrainian startups through partnerships with Ukrainian government agencies. The Rakuten and Ukrainian agencies' booth showcases support for startups. (©Hidemitsu Kaito) Defense Minister Gen Nakatani tours the exhibition on May 21. (©Hidemitsu Kaito) Defense Minister Gen Nakatani, who toured the venue on the first day, said, "The number of enlistments in the Self-Defense Forces (SDF) is declining, making the introduction of drones and labor-saving equipment essential." The SDF has a capacity of around 247,000 personnel, but is projected to face a shortfall of 23,000 by the end of 2024. Japan's defense system continues to evolve. The FY2025 defense budget is set at ¥8.4748 trillion JPY ($58.8 billion USD). This level represents a 9.7% increase from the previous year and reaches 1.8% of GDP. In 2020, the Air Self-Defense Force established a Space Operations Squadron to focus on outer space. Space surveillance has become increasingly vital, as evidenced by foreign firms capturing real-time satellite images of a North Korean destroyer grounding during its launch ceremony. A model of the next-generation fighter jet being jointly developed by Japan, the UK, and Italy. (©Hidemitsu Kaito) The next-generation fighter jet under development, GCAP, mentioned by Ishiba, is expected to outperform the American stealth fighter F-35. However, as China and Russia rapidly expand their military power, Japan must further strengthen its defense capabilities. ( Read this in Japanese ) Author: Hidemitsu Kaito
Nikkei Asia
6 days ago
- Business
- Nikkei Asia
Japan's next-gen fighter progressing on time: Italy, UK defense execs
TOKYO -- The initiative to develop a next-generation stealth fighter jet by Japan, the U.K. and Italy is progressing as planned, executives involved in the program told Nikkei. Top-level managers from Italian defense contractor Leonardo and British engine supplier Rolls-Royce recently visited Japan to showcase the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) and shared their views on how the project is advancing.
