Japan Selects F-35

20 Desember 2011

F-35A for JASDF (image : Lockheed Martin)

The Japan Air Self-Defense Force has selected the F-35A as the winner of its F-X contest for 40-50 aircraft to replace F-4 Phantoms. The single-engine, stealthy Lockheed Martin jet wins over Boeing’s F/A-18E/F and the Eurofighter Typhoon.

Eleven nations are now expected to buy the jet, including those in the nine-member partnership established at the beginning of the program and two foreign military sales customers -- Japan and Israel.

Japan’s deal includes a work package for a domestic final-assembly-and-checkout facility much like Italy’s, as well as component and subcomponent build work in country. A value for the work package has not been provided.

Like Israel, the first nation not in the F-35 partnership to sign up for a buy, Tokyo wants its first aircraft in 2016; the contract for these first four F-35As is expected in Japan’s fiscal year 2012, beginning in April.

Japan’s decision is likely the first of more to come in favor of the F-35 in Asia. Singapore is linked with Israel and likely to follow its buy. And, South Korea is a strong possibility as it often seeks to equal Japan in purchasing high-technology defense equipment. Seoul is expected to hold a competition for 60 aircraft next year.

The aircraft for delivery in 2016 will be included in the low-rate initial production lot 8, and they will include the Block 3 software that the U.S. Air Force will require to declare initial operational capability of its new fleet.

The growing number of customers for F-35, backed by Japan’s decision, “reinforces the F-35 value proposition,” says Steve O’Bryan, Lockheed Martin’s F-35 business development VP. This proposition postulates that the more customers that sign on and add to production orders, the lower the F-35 per-unit cost. This remains, however, to be proven by actual contract prices. The Pentagon is now in negotiations with Lockheed Martin over LRIP 5 pricing after the two parties agreed to equally share the “concurrency cost,” or price to retrofit LRIP 5 jets based on findings in the testing program.

O’Bryan says that the company can accommodate additional sales in LRIP 8 to South Korea should the country follow Tokyo’s lead. “There is capacity available,” he told reporters on a late-night teleconference in the United States. “We have tooling available” for more jets in that lot.
With Israel and Japan signing on for deliveries in 2016, it is possible the Pentagon could further slow its early LRIP buys to reduce the concurrency facing Washington’s piece of the program between development and procurement ramp up without disrupting the overall total delivery number in that year.

O’Bryan suggests that Japan selected the F-35 in part because the work package offers workers access to advanced technologies and manufacturing techniques. “If they wanted to purchase more fourth-generation technology of aluminum and other older technologies, they already had that in the F-15 line,” said Steve O’Bryan, Lockheed Martin’s F-35 business development vice president. “With the F-35 they get advanced composite work, automated milling and machining [and] they also get advanced avionics.”

Both losing contestants remain in other competitions around the globe. Boeing has orders to continue its F/A-18E/F work in St. Louis until 2015, including sales to the United States Navy of the Super Hornet and EA-18G jammer model and Australia. The Super Hornet is also vying against the Dassault Rafale and Saab Gripen for a win of Brazil’s pending tender for 36 fighters.

Paul Lewis, a Boeing spokesman, notes that the Super Hornet is also a potential for forthcoming competitions in Malaysia, Denmark the United Arab Emirates and “other Middle Eastern nations.”

Typhoon, widely considered as least likely to win in Japan, remains alive in New Dehli’s competition to build 126 multirole fighters. BAE announced this fall it was cutting the production rate of Typhoons from 53 to 43; the company has a backlog of more than 260 aircraft, with more than 280 delivered.

(Aviation Week-Ares)

JS Hyuga (DDH 181)

The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force helicopter destroyer JS Hyuga (DDH 181) prepares to turn from a formation of U.S. Navy and Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force ships during Annual Exercise 2011. Annual Exercise is a bi-lateral field training exercise designed to practice and evaluate the coordination procedures and interoperability elements required to respond to the defense of Japan and the Asia-Pacific region. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Adam K. Thomas/Released)

JS Kurama (DDH 144)

The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force helicopter destroyer JS Kurama (DDH 144) test fires chafe as part of the integrated maritime exercise Koa Kai. Kurama is participating in Koa Kai with the guided-missile destroyers USS O'Kane (DDG 77) and USS Chafee (DDG 90), the guided-missile frigate USS Crommelin (FFG 37), and the Military Sealift Command dry cargo and ammunition ship USNS Washington Chambers (T-AKE 11) to prepare independent deployers in multiple warfare areas and provide training in a multi-ship environment. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Daniel Barker/Released)

JS Kurama (DDH 144)

The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) helicopter destroyer JS Kurama (DDH 144) departs Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam to be part of exercise Koa Kai 12-1. Koa Kai 12-1 is an integrated maritime exercise to prepare independent deployers in multiple warfare areas, while also providing training in a multi-ship environment. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Mark Logico/Released)

Northrop Grumman to Supply AQS-24A Airborne Mine-Hunting System to Japan

26 Oktober 2011

Northrop Grumman AQS-24A (all photos : Northrop Grumman)

ANNAPOLIS, Md., -- Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) has been competitively selected to supply the AQS-24A airborne mine-hunting system to the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force.

Under the initial contract, Northrop Grumman's Undersea Systems business unit will deliver the airborne mine-hunting system to Kawasaki Heavy Industries for integration into Japan's new Airborne Mine Countermeasures MCH-101 helicopter.

AQS-24A Common Post Mission Analysis Station

"The combination of our proven high performance, low cost and ease of integration in the MCH-101 airframe makes the AQS-24A the ideal choice for Japan's helicopter-based mine-hunting needs," said Tom Jones, vice president of Northrop Grumman's Undersea Systems business unit. "As the only operational airborne mine-hunting search system in the U.S. Navy, the AQS-24A has demonstrated very high reliability in the field with the Navy's Helicopter Mine Countermeasures squadrons."

AQS-24A Minehunting System

The AQS-24A and its predecessors, the AQS-24 and the AQS-14, have been the only operational airborne mine hunting search systems used by the U.S. Navy for the past 27 years. The AQS-24A is a high speed mine-hunting system that is primarily towed from the MH-53E helicopter, but has been easily adapted to the smaller Japanese MCH-101 aircraft. With a track record of proven reliability and performance across the globe, the system's high-resolution side-scan sonar detects, localizes and classifies both bottom and moored mines in real time at high area coverage rates.

AQS-24A Deployment

The AQS-24A contains a laser line scanner that provides precision optical identification of underwater mines and other objects of interest. The AQS-24A allows for simultaneous operation of the sonar and laser, which significantly improves area coverage rate, shortens the mine clearance timeline and alleviates unnecessary maintenance cycles. Advanced navigation controls and processing provide highly accurate target positioning.

(Northrop Grumman)

JS Akebono (DDH 108)

The Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force destroyer JS Akebono comes alongside HMAS Kanimbla for a light jackstay transfer. HMAS Kanimbla is transiting to Australia from Hawaii, after completing Exercise RIMPAC 2010, and is sailing in company with HMA Ships Warramunga, Newcastle, and JS Akebono. (Photo: Australia DoD)

JS Samidare (DDG 106)

Japanese Destoyer, JS Samidare departs Fort Hill Wharf in Darwin for sea with Thai, Ratanakosin Class Missile Corvette, HTMS Sukhothai in the background. Ships depart Fort Hill Wharf in Darwin and the HMAS Coonawarra Basin for the two week sea phase of Exercise Kakadu. Two thousand sailors and airmen from nine nations are gearing up in northern Australia for Exercise Kakadu IX, an important international Defence exercise. The 19 day exercise will bring together Defence personnel from Australia, New Zealand, the French Armed Forces - New Caledonia (FANC), Singapore, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Pakistan, Japan and Thailand; with observers from the Philippines, Indonesia and India. Exercise Kakadu IX is a multilateral exercise aimed at developing interoperability in maritime operations in an international environment. (Photo: Australia DoD)

JS Samidare (DDG 106)

Japanese Destoyer, JS Samidare departs Fort Hill Wharf in Darwin for sea with naval hospital ship, USNS Mercy in the background. Ships depart Fort Hill Wharf in Darwin and the HMAS Coonawarra Basin for the two week sea phase of Exercise Kakadu. Two thousand sailors and airmen from nine nations are gearing up in northern Australia for Exercise Kakadu IX, an important international Defence exercise. The 19 day exercise will bring together Defence personnel from Australia, New Zealand, the French Armed Forces - New Caledonia (FANC), Singapore, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Pakistan, Japan and Thailand; with observers from the Philippines, Indonesia and India. Exercise Kakadu IX is a multilateral exercise aimed at developing interoperability in maritime operations in an international environment. It is the Royal Australian Navy’s (RAN) premier international engagement activity for 2008 and will take place in the Northern Australian Exercise Area off Darwin. (Photo: Australia DoD)

Japan to Build New Helicopter Carrier by 2012

15 September 2011

Japan already has two helicopter carriers (photo : Chosun Ilbo)

Japan plans to build a 19,500-ton aircraft carrier capable of housing helicopters after China launched its first own aircraft carrier, Chinese media reported on Wednesday. Japan already has two helicopter carriers -- the Hyuga deployed in March 2009 and the Ise deployed in March 2011 -- but the planned new vessel will be bigger.

The 22DDH is scheduled for deployment in 2015. It will be 248 m long and cost around US$1.04 billion. It is 30 percent bigger than the Ise and can carry 14 helicopters. The Ise measures 197 m, has a displacement of 13,500 tons and can carry 11 helicopters.

Although dwarfed by China's aircraft carrier, which is 320 m long and can carry 50 fighter jets, the Japanese vessel will be equipped with the latest U.S. weapons systems to maximize its capability. It will be equipped with the Raytheon air and missile defense system, which has so far only been installed on U.S. vessels, and 11 missile launchers.

Japan had several aircraft carriers during World War II, but since its defeat it has focused on developing helicopter carriers, which are deemed purely defensive. It appears to be bolstering defenses to counter China's increasing submarine warfare capabilities. The new carrier will house mainly helicopters designed for anti-submarine warfare operations.

The new carrier is expected to be used to carry F-35B VSTOL aircraft (image : connect.in)

There are increasing calls within Japan to modify the 22DDH for fighter jets. But critics say it would be unrealistic to build such an aircraft carrier since its navy has only 45,000 personnel, and the already indebted government would run deeper into debt.

Chinese media speculated that Japan could buy Lookheed Martin F-35B stealth fighters capable of vertical takeoff and landing and base them on the new carrier.

Japan is also speeding up the development of stealth fighters and drones. Since 2009, it has invested 39 billion yen (around W562.2 billion) on development of an indigenous stealth fighter codenamed ATD-X. A prototype is expected to be unveiled in 2014, and development is to be complete in 2016.

Japan's Defense Ministry is also spending 15 billion yen this year on developing drones and robots. One unmanned helicopter has already been deployed with the Self-Defense Forces, while four prototype drones have been developed.

(Chosun Ilbo)