Japan puts first stealth jet on back burner as costs soar, technical problems mount

Japan is to drop plans to develop a new stealth fighter jet as a result of soaring costs and the technical hurdles that need to be overcome, with analysts suggesting that Tokyo will instead replace obsolescent fighters with foreign-built aircraft bought “off the shelf”.

Tasked with replacing the domestically developed F-2 fighter, which is expected to be phased out of service from around 2030, the Defence Ministry initially had three options.

The preferred option has until now been to develop a completely new aircraft using only domestic companies, although the alternatives were to work with foreign aviation firms on a replacement or to extend the operational life of the 90 existing F-2s with a series of upgrades.

The planned replacement, the X-2 stealth fighter, was the product of years of experience in fighter-aircraft manufacturing by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd, which also made the A6M or Zero.

The US, Russia and China all are developing stealth jets, which have reduced visibility to infrared sensors and can cruise at supersonic speeds.