Japan nears deal with Britain to buy next-generation fighter jet

The new jet is expected to draw heavily on the design of the Tempest fighter that is currently under development by UK defence contractor BAE Systems plc

If it goes ahead, the deal would mark the first time in 70 years that Japan has signed a major defence project with a country other than the United States

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A model of the ‘Tempest’ fighter jet being developed for Britain’s Royal Air Force is seen at an airshow in 2018. The new Japanese jet will reportedly be based on a similar design. Photo: Reuters

Published: 3:55pm, 16 May 2022Updated: 4:08pm, 16 May 2022

Japan and Britain are closing in on a deal to jointly build a next-generation fighter for the Japanese air force.

The new aircraft would be the successor to the Japan Air Self-Defence Force’s F-2 jet, a multirole fighter that was derived from the F-16 Fighting Falcon and manufactured as a joint venture between Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Lockheed Martin of the US.

If the deal goes ahead, it would mark the first time in 70 years that Tokyo has signed a major defence project with a country other than the United States, a decision that analysts suggest indicates Japan’s desire to build stronger political and security alliances with more like-minded nations.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson welcomes his Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida to Downing Street earlier this month. Photo: Kyodo

The full details of the agreement, including the number of aircraft to be bought, will be decided at the end of the year, Japanese media reported.

The F-2, which entered service in 2000, has been criticised for its high costs and underwhelming performance. The last of 98 jets developed for the Japanese air force are set to be withdrawn from front-line service in the middle of the next decade.

Its proposed successor is expected to draw heavily on the design of the Tempest fighter that is currently under development for Britain’s Royal Air Force by UK defence contractor BAE Systems plc, which will also take the lead on the Japanese jet.

Mitsubishi Heavy will be involved in the design of the fuselage, according to reports, with Lockheed Martin contributing components and communication systems to ensure the aircraft can operate in concert with US forces in the region. The engine would be a collaboration between Rolls-Royce plc and Japan’s IHI Corp.