Japan, the United Kingdom, and Italy have announced that they will jointly develop a common aircraft for the Air Self-Defense Force's next-generation fighter.
The Ministry of Defense hopes to begin deployment by around 2035.
Since the Air Self-Defense Force's F2 fighters will be retired from service around 2035, the Ministry of Defense has continued discussions with the United Kingdom and Italy toward cooperation in developing the next-generation fighters that will succeed them.
As a result, Japan, the United Kingdom, and Italy issued a joint summit statement on the afternoon of the 9th, announcing that they would jointly develop a common next-generation fighter.
The Ministry of Defense says that joint development will allow the technologies of the three countries to be brought together, and that development costs can be reduced by sharing costs.
Japan's Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, UK's BAE Systems, and Italy's Leonardo are expected to participate in the joint development of the airframe, and Japan's IHI is also planning to participate in the development of a common engine.
The Ministry of Defense hopes to begin deployment by around 2035.
In addition, we are considering revising the operation guidelines of the "Three Principles of Defense Equipment Transfer" so that we can provide parts for next-generation fighters to third countries in the future.
U.S. to develop drones to support next-generation fighters
Regarding the development of the next-generation fighter, the Ministry of Defense initially sought cooperation with American companies, and two years ago, Lockheed Martin was selected as a candidate company to receive technical support.
However, this time, he announced that he would not sign a contract with Lockheed Martin because it was decided to jointly develop with Britain and Italy.
On the other hand, the Ministry of Defense and the US Department of Defense issued a joint statement in conjunction with the joint leaders' statement on the next fighter aircraft, stating that the US "supports Japan's cooperation with like-minded allies and partners." is.
He also revealed that Japan and the United States have agreed to start concrete cooperation with joint research in mind from next year toward the development of unmanned aircraft that will support the next generation fighter aircraft.
"These efforts will greatly strengthen the U.S.-Japan alliance, expand cooperation with our partners, and, in turn, enable us to jointly address future threats in the Indo-Pacific and the world."