US Pacific Command Advises Against F-22 Sales to Japan

[onedomino]

This, in my opinion is a mistake. The Japanese are among the top three US allies on the planet and America should make the F-22 available to them. Japan is threatened by an ever increasing Chinese military budget and capability. America should make it clear that if its allies need air superiority, they will get it. Australia has also requested access to the F-22, and the US has turned them down. America sold its then current best fighter to Japan, the F-15. We also sold our then best fighter-bomber, the F-111, to the Australians. Both these allies should get the current best fighter, the F-22. Further, since each F-22 costs about $130 million (more if you include R&D), a higher production run that includes Japanese and Australian planes will lower the per unit cost. If in a future conflict American pilots are flying with their Japanese and Australian counterparts, no doubt they would prefer to have additional F-22s at their wing, as opposed to some less capable jet.

U.S. PaCom Chief Opposes Selling F-22 to Japan
By John T Bennett

complete article: http://defensenews.com/story.php?F=2921712&C=america

The top U.S. military official in the Pacific region is opposed to the notion of selling the Pentagon’s prized F-22A Raptor to Japan, America’s closest ally in the area.

A new U.S. “capabilities assessment group” -— composed of Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, Office of the Secretary of Defense and industry officials -— has launched a comprehensive review of Japan’s fighter requirements. That group will deliver a formal recommendation to Defense Secretary Robert Gates and eventually President George W. Bush on which American-made war plane Washington should pitch to Tokyo.

Adm. Timothy Keating, commander, U.S. Pacific Command, said he has passed his recommendation that the Raptor not be sold to Japan to that study team. His comments came during a July 24 briefing at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington.

As the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) continues seeking a replacement for its aging fighter fleet, Tokyo over the past several years has expressed a keen interest in the F-22A, which is loaded with top secret technologies.

One key hurdle to a potential sale of F-22As to Japan is the “Obey amendment,” a provision tacked onto the 1998 Defense Appropriations Act by Rep. David Obey, D-Wis. It prohibits F-22A exports to any nation. Last year, conferees working on a final defense spending bill turned back a House-approved move to nix the provision.

The Japan Air Self-Defense Force has four kinds of fighters: F-15s, F-2s, F-1s, and F-4s, the latter introduced in 1973 and slated for retirement in the next decade. Japanese officials have said they at least want to purchase a “fourth-and-a-half generation jet,” and ideally, a “fifth-generation” plane (i.e., the F-22). That would exclude even the most-enhanced U.S.-made F-16s and F-15s, but would leave on the Japanese list upgraded F/A-18s, F-35 Joint Strike Fighters (not available for perhaps 5 years) and the Raptor (available now).

 

[RetiredGySgt]

Can not sell them to anyone anyway. Or didn't you catch the legal bar to selling them?

I want us to support Japan and our good allies also, but do not think cutting edge technology is necassary for that. There are some that claim the 22 and the 35 are not even needed. Of course those people probably thought a tank was a bad idea in the 30's as well.

 

[onedomino]

Can not sell them to anyone anyway. Or didn't you catch the legal bar to selling them?

I want us to support Japan and our good allies also, but do not think cutting edge technology is necassary for that. There are some that claim the 22 and the 35 are not even needed. Of course those people probably thought a tank was a bad idea in the 30's as well.

Congress could get around the F-22 sales ban (imposed back when we thought we could afford 400+ aircraft, now we'll be lucky to get 120). I think that Japan and Australia are allies that deserve the best equipment to defend themselves and help defend the Pacific. Japan and Australia are maritime nations and the single engine F-35 is as bad an idea for them as it is for the US Navy. The Navy version of the F-35 should be ditched in favor of a "navalized" version of the F-22, a far more advanced warplane than the F-35 will ever be.

 

[onedomino]

It is stupid to block Japan (and Australia) from participation in the F-22 program. Economically and strategically the Japanese are the most important US ally. We have already let Japan purchase F-4s and F-15s when they were state-of-the-art. Now we are blocking our most important ally from updating to the F-22 that will deliver air superiority in any conflict with China? Potential conflict that will include America. It makes no sense. We are forcing Japan to look at purchasing EADS' Eurofighter. In the future, if American pilots go into combat with Japanese at their wing, they will look over and see a Eurofighter rather than another F-22? Crazy. Certain elements of the US defense industry with which I am familiar are hoping that Japan will purchase the less capable F-35, a single engine jet. No maritime nation such as Japan wants their primary fighter to be single engine. They want, need, and will pay big money for the F-22. Give it to them.

Japan Shopping Around Amid U.S. Stealth Jet Ban
AFP, Tokyo

complete article: http://defensenews.com/story.php?F=2926640&C=airwar

Japan said Thursday it would not rule out buying next-generation aircraft from a third country due to the U.S. ban on exporting its state-of-the-art F-22 stealth fighter.

Japan has officially been pacifist since World War II but has been gradually expanding the role of its military, in part due to concern over nuclear-armed North Korea.

The United States, Japan’s primary ally, has banned all exports of its F-22 Raptor, which is built to evade radar detection at supersonic speeds.
“It is essential to continue seeking information on the quality of state-of-the-art fighter jets developed by foreign countries,” chief government spokesman Yasuhisa Shiozaki told reporters.

“We will keep seeking cooperation in gathering information,” he said.
A defense ministry official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Japan was looking at six models of aircraft, including the Raptor.

Also on the list are the Eurofighter, designed by a European consortium, (EADS) and the F-35, built by the United States and Britain, the official said.