Photos: ATD-X Japan’s Stealth Jet

[Don Jaguar]

Here are some great new images of Japan’s entry in the Great Asian Stealth Fighter Race; the ATD-X air superiority fighter.

These shots show a mock-up of Mitsubishi’s design for the jet which it hopes to have flying by 2014–15.

Japan wants to field its own stealth fighter in light of China’s rapid military modernization which seems to be aimed at expanding its influence throughout the western Pacific Ocean. The island nation wanted to buy Lockheed’s F-22 Raptor to serve as its air superiority fighter but the Pentagon refused to allow it. This drove Japan to seek a two pronged approach to modernizing its air force; it will buy a foreign-made multirole fighter and then develop its own stealthy air superiority jet — albeit with help from the U.S.

The ATD-X isn’t expected to be operational until the 2020s (if ever), in the meantime, Japan is looking at buying a multirole jet — either the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet or the Eurofighter Typhoon — to replace its ancient fleet of F-4J Phantoms and some of its newer F-15 Eagles.

http://defensetech.org/2011/11/30/photos-atd-x-japans-stealth-jet/

 

[Korean]

That's the old one.

This is the latest one circa November 2011, modified to have an internal weapons bay.

 

[Don Jaguar]

That's the old one.

This is the latest one circa November 2011, modified to have an internal weapons bay.

Any information about the weapons it will use?

 

[Korean]

Any information about the weapons it will use?

Japanese A2A missiles, like AAM-4, AAM-5.

 

[Rusty]

Japan made some amazing airplanes during and pre ww2
I hope they start making more of their own planes again.
and of course they should all come with a PS3

 

[Korean]

So similar to Indian AMCA, maybe Japan and India should jointly produce this bird.

F-3 entering service in 2026 has many technologies that Japan wouldn't want to share with anyone else, like conformal array radar and bi-static radar network(using drone radars) for engaging enemy stealth fighter jets.

And the cost of F-3 will be very high, typical of Japanese weapons.

 

[Zabaniyah]

So similar to Indian AMCA, maybe Japan and India should jointly produce this bird.

Appears to resemble the Raptor if you ask me.

 

[Pakistanisage]

Looks like a replica of F-22.

 

[Varunastra]

Appears to resemble the Raptor if you ask me.

I agree with you.....i doesn't resemble AMCA ,it resembles the F-22 RAPTOR

 

[yyetttt]

I think it looks better than the F-22 raptor...

 

[ChineseTiger1986]

The problem is "can this thing fly?".

Even the the canopy isn't a single piece, but having the metal frame.

 

[Varunastra]

I think it looks better than the F-22 raptor...

say that again will you??

The problem is "can this thing fly?".

Even the the canopy isn't a single piece, but having the metal frame.

dude this is only a wind tunnel test model-