Regarding the development of the next fighter aircraft of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force, the Ministry of Defense will start joint research on engines with the United Kingdom from next month.
The Ministry of Defense will develop the next fighter, which will be the successor to the F2 fighter of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force, under the initiative of Japan, and the engine will be handled by IHI, a major machine maker.
However, since it has been more than 40 years since the last time a domestic company led the development of a fighter aircraft, IHI and Rolls-Royce of the United Kingdom will jointly develop a demonstration aircraft for the engine.
At a meeting between Defense Minister Kishi and Defense Minister Wallace in July, the Ministry of Defense agreed to accelerate discussions with the cooperation of engine development, and the Ministry of Defense has the cost of development that requires advanced technology. We are planning to start joint research next month as it will lead to reduction and risk reduction.
In the development of the next fighter aircraft, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, which oversees the whole and is in charge of the aircraft, will receive technical support from Lockheed Martin of the United States, and the technology of Japan, the United States, and the United Kingdom will be used. Become.
Regarding the next fighter aircraft, it was decided in the ministerial negotiations on the 22nd that 85.8 billion yen will be included in the budget plan for the next fiscal year, and the Ministry of Defense wants to start deploying by around 2035 when the retirement of F2 fighter aircraft begins. is.
British Defense Minister "Considering Widespread Cooperation in Next-Generation Fighter Technology"
Britain's Defense Minister Wallace commented on this, saying, "Strengthening partnerships in the Indo-Pacific region is our strategic priority and with Japan, one of Asia's closest security partners. "This commitment is a clear example of this," he said. "We will consider a wide range of cooperation in the technology of next-generation fighter aircraft by leveraging the technological and industrial strengths of both Japan and the United Kingdom." ..