Lockheed Martin to propose stealthy hybrid of F-22 and F-35 for Japan

[Daryl Hunt]

Wow, talk about something new for Japan and the US

Exclusive: Lockheed Martin to propose stealthy hybrid of F-22 and...

Lockheed has discussed the idea with Japanese defense ministry officials and will make a formal proposal in response to a Japanese request for information (RFI) after it receives permission from the U.S. government to offer the sensitive military technology, said the sources, who have direct knowledge of the proposal.

The decision on whether to release parts of the highly classified aircraft designs and software to help Japan stay ahead of Chinese advances will test President Donald Trump’s promise to overhaul his country’s arms export policy.

The proposed aircraft “would combine the F-22 and F-35 and could be superior to both of them,” said one of the sources.

Japan, which is already buying the radar-evading F-35 to modernize its inventory, also wants to introduce a separate air superiority fighter in the decade starting 2030 to deter intrusions into its airspace by Chinese and Russian jets.

The country’s air force currently flies the F-15J, based on the Boeing F-15; and the F-2, based on the Lockheed Martin F-16. Both designs are decades old.

 

[whitehall]

As long as Lookheed Martin is still based in the U.S.

 

[Daryl Hunt]

As long as Lookheed Martin is still based in the U.S.

From the sounds of things, the manufacture would be in the US. Japan seems to have been not producing things up to par with the US manufactured of the same items. Their J isn't up with the S version of the F-15. Maybe they are coming to the same conclusion if they are to produce the F-35 as well.

The good news is, the hybrid would cost less than either the F-35 or the F-22. The F-35 has become the learning curve for both the hybrid and the 6th gen fighter enabling the next gen to cost less to produce. Time will tell.