Got Stealth? JASDF Orders Additional F-35's

This week it was announced in Japan Today that the JASDF will be purchassing an addition 20 F-35A 5th Generation Stealth Fighters. Unlike the previous 42 advanced fighter planes whose final assembly is done by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in Japan, these will come directly from Lockheed Martin in the United States. Sources state issues with production time tables for this reason and not trade tarrifs imposed by the Trump Regime. The going pricetag for Japan is $100 Million each. Buying direct will save Japan an estimated $30 million per plane. How that works out is not so readily explained but then again we know Beijing is reading and watching. Any realist will tell you that such an upgrade should not be the cause of alarm due to the lack of significant numbers of orders. This generation of Stealth fighters replaces 50 year old F-4 Phantoms and the first of many aging F-15 fighters. Japan will eventually have it's new home grown Stealth Fighter people are calling the F-3 (aka the ATX-D-F3) but that won't be available for another decade. In the meantime, Japan must have a ready force to meet the growing threats from North Korea and troubles on the South China Seas. We hope they will keep Japan safe and contribute to stability in the region.

Enter The Hawkeyes

While the world was watching the bizarre rants of our new President-Elect, the U.S. Navy deployed E-2D Advanced Hawkeye early warning aircraft to Japan. The purpose of being to track stealth aircraft over the South China Seas. These planes who had been previously attached to the USS Theodore Roosevelt fighting ISIL in Syria will now bolster security in what has become an ever growing tense situation with the militarization of man-made islands which the PRC claims as their sovereign territory based on some 500 year old map. It is reported that these E-2D's are equipped with the latest A/N-APY radar system that can track objects with a small cross section which is the hallmark of stealth technology. There's a report which CNN reposted from the US Naval Institute News that these planes could be the secret weapon against both cruise missiles such as the so-called "Carrier-Killer" and both variants of the PRC's Stealth Fighters in production.

With the PRC bringing it's new 5th Generation J-20 Stealth fighters coming on line over the next two years, the advanced eyes in the skies will do their part to keep the peace. Of course there are no guarantees. In the old days this was called the Balance of Terror to match assets with ones potential adversaries like chess pieces on the board. This being no game, the aggressive moves on the part of the PRC and the unstable rantings of our new leader will make for a combustible mix that will fall on the hands of our military leaders to have the cooler heads and no Twitter Fingers. Let's just hope the addition of the E-2d's Hawkeyes will give the region an added ounce of stability for an unstable world.

Changing of the Guard: USS Wasp Heads to Japan

As times move on, so do ship deployments. As such, the recently modernized amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD-1) heads for it's new home port in Sasebo, Japan. The Wasp will be replacing the USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD-6) so it may return to San Diego and undergo much needed upgrades. The USS Wasp's upgraded it's defense systems to include the MK 2 Ship Self Defense System, SPQ-9B horizon search radar, MK 57 NATO Sea Sparrow Missile System, and a host of computer LAN systems to meet the ever growing challenges to their mission as part of the Navy’s Forward Deployed Naval Forces in Japan.

Of the Wasp's most prominent upgrade, none draws more attention that it's new accommodation of new USMC F-35B Variant Joint Strike Fighters of VMFA-211 "The Green Knights" Fighter Attack Squadron. This is the first deployment of the new controversial Short Take-off Vertical Landing (STOVL) aircraft that is best known for it's 5th Generation Stealth technology. This upgrade in combination with the Wasp's on board compliment of attack helicopters and V-22 Osprey's should give anyone thinking of challenging this ship some pause. We at American Mishima wish the crew and pilots of the USS Wasp fair seas and safe travels.  

New ATD-X2 Footage!

In the latest news of Mitsubishi's new Advanced Technology Demonstrator, it's lone prototype tail number 51-0001 has been seen performing taxi trials. This development is a sure sign that the much anticipated flight trials are coming soon. As we have posted before, Japan initially wanted to purchase F-22 Raptors to replace it's aging F-15 Eagle fleet. But due to export restrictions imposed by the U.S. Congress, Japan was forced to develop it's own 5th Generation Stealth Fighter loosely based or inspired by the F-22. We at American Mishima look forward to seeing this new Zero for the Heisei Generation take to flight!

The PRC's New J-31: A Stealth Contender or Just Another Chinese Knockoff?

Coinciding with President Obama's visit to the PRC for the Asia-Pacific Economic Summit and to urge officials in Beijing to halt cyber attacks and outright cyber theft, the PLA's Air Force deliberately conducted test flights of its new J-31 Stealth Fighter at an arms show in Zuhai. Its alleged that the design of this 5th Generation fighter is the result of Chinese hackers breaking into Lockheed Martin and stealing the plans for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter to which the PLA appears to have produced their own knockoff copy that is missing some key elements or as Lockheed Martin calls "The Crown Jewels" of it's performance ratio & thrust vectoring capability.

While on the surface, the plane looks strangely like an American Stealth fighter (Gee, wonder how that happened?), it is their second Stealth fighter. The earlier J-20 also the product of Chinese hacking also bears a remarkable resemblance to the F-22 & canceled YF-23. Worse, like it's older brother the J-20, the J-31 is powered by a pair of Russian made Klimov RD-93 engines, the same power plant for the MIG-29. The rumor has it that a group of rogue Russian technicians helped them reconfigure these engines for the new plane but Chinese officials deny this. Surprised? Its been observed that this plane bleeds too much power and has to engage its afterburners at low altitude in order to avoid stalling. Nice Try but no fortune cookie!

The mentality behind this lack of originality on the part of the Chinese is difficult to ascertain. You would figure that the people who brought you 4000 years of complex mathematics and medicine could come up with something on their own without stealing someone else s ideas. You would think they would take more pride in their own ingenuity and not ride on the accomplishments of others. But No. If Japan can come up with their own Stealth Fighter (See Mitsubishi ATX-D F3 Shinshin), China has no excuse. This is not being competitive, this is being lazy! ばか!

A New Zero for the Heisei Generation

Introducing Japan's first Generation 5 Stealth Fighter: The Mitsubishi ATX-D F3 Shinshin. It is not only Japan's first Stealth fighter but it's the third fighter built by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries since the end of WWII. This is bound to rattle some nerves in the PRC but this is a new era where Japan must meet the challenges to which the PRC and the DPRK have given rise to. 

Born out of necessity to replace Japan's aging fleet of 4th Generation fighters, the "Shinshin" as it will be called was developed after the U.S. Congress nixed Japan's desire to purchase F-22 Raptors in fear of compromising any Stealth Technological advantages. The F-3 is powered by two IHI X51 Turbofans and will have afterburners with thrust vectoring (a key component on the F-22). This will be a true Air Superiority single seat fighter with one two seat variant for training. They are expected to go into production in 2017 and into service by 2027. 

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries who once brought you the legendary A6M Zero had given this new multibillion yen Zero for the Heisei Generation the name ATD-X which is an acronym meaning "Advanced Technology Demonstrator – X". The aircraft is widely known in Japan as Shinshin (心神^?, meaning "Spirit of the Heart"). We at American Mishima look forward to learning more about her over the coming years.

がんばれ 日本!

Japan's New Stealth Fighter

Seen here (or not seen) is the new JASDF Stealth Fighter on display at Kadena Air Base in Japan.

なんちゃって!!!

No Seriously!
Japan's Self Defense Forces do not own any Stealth Fighters.
At least not yet...

 Here is a full scale mockup of the F-35J Model for the future JASDF.
It's good to see they are planning ahead. Pay attention PRC.

Captain Kirk's New Cloaking Device

If you're a fan of Star Trek, you'll recall that original series episode where Captain James T. Kirk steals a cloaking device from the Romulans to hide his ship from danger. We'll today in the 21st. Century if Captain Kirk needed a cloaking device the US Navy can now simply issue him one. Seriously? All joking aside, yes! And that's exactly what happened this month. Yes that's right!

The US Navy gave Captain Kirk a cloaking device. That is Captain James A. Kirk of the United States Navy. He has been given command of the first DDG-1000 Class Destroyer with stealth capability, the USS Zumwalt.

Named after Admiral Elmo R. “Bud” Zumwalt who was chief of Naval Operations in the early 1970's, this new warship (the first of three being built) is longer and faster than the current Arleigh-Burke class destroyers. The Zumwalt is equipped with the latest and deadliest array of weapons that can strike targets more than 60 miles away.

Wrapped in a high tech light weight carbon fiber composite, this new ship is 50 times harder to spot on radar. While not quite the 23rd Century cloaking device of James T. Kirk, this new vessel under the command of Captain James A. Kirk represents the new direction of the US Navy's quest for an efficient warship capable of meeting the ever changing needs of the 21st Century.

We at American Mishima would like to wish Captain Kirk and the yet unnamed crew of the USS Zumwalt much success in thier upcoming sea trials and missions to come!
Anchors Away Captain!