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!

New American Air Power Arrives in Japan

In a show of force, the United States Air Force deployed half of the 525th Fighter Squadron from Alaska to Yokota Air Base in Japan. The F-22 Raptor is our biggest, baddest 5th Generation Air Superiority Stealth Fighter. No other air force has a plane that can rival the F-22. With recent tensions from North Korea and the Chinese Navy, this deployment is meant to send a strong message to anyone thinking of challenging American Resolve in the region. We sure hope it doesn't come to that but if it does, our allies will know we have their backs and will do what is necessary to provide peace & stability in the Far East.

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!