Japan's search for new fighter draws attention from industry.

• Author: Harper, Jon
• Position: Viewpoint

Japan's plan to acquire a next-generation fighter jet to replace the aging F-2 could offer a major business opportunity for aerospace firms, and U.S. defense primes would have the edge in any international competition, according to analysts.

In July, the Defense Ministry in Tokyo released a request for information regarding fields of technologies or products that industry could contribute to the development of a new fighter. It also sought information about fighter types that companies would propose if Japan decided to buy or upgrade an existing one to meet its needs.

Responses were due back by the end of August, said Air Attache Col. Yasuhiro Ogawa during an interview with National Defense at the Japanese Embassy in Washington, D.C.

"We're going to find out which is best for us in terms of performance, cost efficiency and so on," he said.

Tokyo has three options for pursuing the next-generation fighter, also known as the F-3, he noted: build a new fighter indigenously; partner with foreign firms for co-development; or purchase/upgrade an existing aircraft.

The Defense Ministry's new Acquisition, Technology and Logistics Agency will conduct an analysis of alternatives. The process is in its "early stages," he said.

Up to two additional RFIs could be issued. A decision about which path to pursue is expected by the end of Japanese fiscal year 2018, which is March 31, 2019, Ogawa said.

The replacement jet needs to be factored into Japan's next midterm defense program planning cycle, which runs from fiscal years 2019 to 2023. The F-2 is expected to reach the end of its service life around 2030, he noted.

Meanwhile, China continues to improve its fighter capabilities--it has developed two stealth prototypes--and has been acting more aggressively towards its neighbors.

The number of Japanese fighter scrambles against Chinese aircraft increased from fewer than 100 in 2010 to more than 500 in 2015, according to the Defense Ministry.

"The security environment around Japan has become increasingly severe," Ogawa said. The "F-2 replacement program is one of our efforts to maintain air defense capability and to ensure air superiority surrounding Japan."

The capability requirements for the F-2 replacement have yet to be firmly decided, but broadly speaking Japan is interested in stealth, maneuverability, sensor fusion and new engine technologies, he said. The ability to conduct ground-strike and close-air support missions could also be sought, he added.

Japan has already committed to buying 42 stealthy F-35 joint strike fighters, but the aircraft might not meet Japan's needs for air-to-air combat against an advanced enemy, said Richard Aboulafia, vice president of analysis at the Teal Group, an aerospace and defense market analysis firm.

"They want a fast, high-altitude... air superiority fighter and interceptor," he said. "The F-35 is no one's idea of that...