The US government on Thursday, 9 July announced that it has approved the sale of 105 F-35 stealth multi-role fighter jets to Japan. The estimated cost of the sale of 105 fighter jets is around $23.11 billion.
The Japanese government has asked for 105 F-35 stealth aircraft which includes 63 F-35A (The traditional version of F-35) and 42 F-35B (The short take-off and vertical landing version for aircraft carriers) to strengthen its strike capabilities. According to the state department of the US said in a statement.
CPEC, China-Pakistan Economic Corridor is a turning point for a whole region, including South Asia & Central Asia
In response to the rapid modernization and expansion of the Chinese military and its global economic policies, the Japanese government decided to modernize its military for the balance of power in the region that’s why at the end of 2018 Japanese government also plan to add two aircraft carriers into its arsenal (first time since the end of world war 2).
Why did Japan choose the F-35 for the future modernization of its air force?
F-35 is a single-seat, single-engine all-weather stealth, multi-role fighter aircraft which can be used for multi-purposes. It can be used for intelligence gathering, reconnaissance, and electronic warfare. It is overall an air superiority fighter that can also perform strike missions.
F-35 the most expensive fighter jet program in U.S history
Lockheed Martin is the main F-35 contractor with a partner’s Northrop Grumman and BAE Systems. The aircraft has three variants:
- F-35 A conventional take-off and landing (CTOL)
- F-35 B short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL)
- F-35 C carrier-based (CB)
Sources:
- Information from Wikipedia