Photo: Emily Wang/AP
Japan was lagging behind not-so-friendly neighbors China in terms of jet fighters, and since buying these planes from other nations wasn’t an option, it had to come up with a design of its own.
Today, the X-2 was unveiled to the public. Wearing a white and red paint job that almost renders its stealth abilities useless since it will be spotted from miles away by anyone possessing a good pair of eyes, the new fighter doesn’t look so threatening as it sits in a heavily guarded hangar. Load some missiles on those wings, however, and that could change dramatically.
At first glance, the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries-produced stealth fighter appears to be quite small, which will probably mean it’s also quite agile. The actual figures confirm our initial hunch: at 46 feet in length (14 meters), the X-2 is smaller than a standard jet fighter. Furthermore, those missiles we were talking about will have to wait a little until they can be installed, and the engines are currently underpowered.
Yup, the $340 million X-2 is nothing but a sample, something that’s still a long way from becoming an actual fighter to be deployed in real battle situations. For that to happen, Japan would need to invest plenty more money into its development, and it would also take more time.
Following the Second World War, Japan has entered into a self-imposed era of pacifism, limiting the resources directed towards its military or weapon development and production. With threats developing all around, the country’s Prime Minister, Mr. Shinzo Abe, decided in 2014 to route more money towards military research and development.
One of the most prominent results of this decision is the X-2, a stealth fighter some analysts believe is nothing more than a bargaining chip designed to lure the Americans into developing the F-22 successor together with their Japanese counterparts.
The launch of the X-2 makes Japan only the fourth country in the world to have stealth-capable aircraft after the US, Russia and China. A partnership between the US and Japan makes even more sense now, as the presence of a strong ally would be invaluable for the much-needed stability of that region.
At first glance, the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries-produced stealth fighter appears to be quite small, which will probably mean it’s also quite agile. The actual figures confirm our initial hunch: at 46 feet in length (14 meters), the X-2 is smaller than a standard jet fighter. Furthermore, those missiles we were talking about will have to wait a little until they can be installed, and the engines are currently underpowered.
Yup, the $340 million X-2 is nothing but a sample, something that’s still a long way from becoming an actual fighter to be deployed in real battle situations. For that to happen, Japan would need to invest plenty more money into its development, and it would also take more time.
Following the Second World War, Japan has entered into a self-imposed era of pacifism, limiting the resources directed towards its military or weapon development and production. With threats developing all around, the country’s Prime Minister, Mr. Shinzo Abe, decided in 2014 to route more money towards military research and development.
One of the most prominent results of this decision is the X-2, a stealth fighter some analysts believe is nothing more than a bargaining chip designed to lure the Americans into developing the F-22 successor together with their Japanese counterparts.
The launch of the X-2 makes Japan only the fourth country in the world to have stealth-capable aircraft after the US, Russia and China. A partnership between the US and Japan makes even more sense now, as the presence of a strong ally would be invaluable for the much-needed stability of that region.
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