Japan is Planning to Market its Upcoming Sixth Generation Fighter Jet For Export

Japan’s government and its ruling Liberal Democratic Party are reportedly considering exporting the country’s upcoming F-3 sixth generation air superiority fighter, and have entered discussion for this purpose. Tokyo recently ended plans to pursue the program jointly with either U.S. or British partners, despite Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman and BAE Systems all showing considerable interest in such a project. The next generation fighter is expected to provide a long awaited replacement for the country’s F-15J Eagles, which Japan was unable to phase out of service due to U.S. refusal to export F-22 Raptors to the country. The aircraft will have a twin engine configuration and form a complement to the lighter and cheaper F-35 jets - which are primarily intended for a strike role. The aircraft is expected to enter service in the 2030s to replace Japan’s F-2 and F-15J fourth generation fighters, and will at least partly bridge the gap with neighbouring China and Russia which have deployed their own next generation designs such as the J-20 and are developing more ambitious sixth generation jets such as the MiG-41. Potential export clients for a high end sixth generation air superiority fighter are manifold, and could include other F-15 operators such as Singapore, Israel and Saudi Arabia. Developing the jet independently without reliance on Western technologies will provide Japan with much more freedom to export the aircraft as it pleases.