Mitsubishi F-X

History of the Mitsubishi F-X

The Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) has been operating the Mitsubishi F-2 light multirole fighter since 2000 (details elsewhere on this page). The local industry produced a total of 98 prototypes from 1995 to 2011, the design being an improved version of the excellent General Dynamics (now Lockheed) F-16 Fighting Falcon. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries was awarded the project and continues to support the product. Twenty years later, Japan and its Japan Air Self-Defense Force are looking for an advanced, state-of-the-art replacement to counter growing threats from North Korea, China and Russia.

This led to the initiative for the next-generation "F-X" fighter.

Initially, the Japan Air Self-Defense Force attempted to procure the 5th-generation Lockheed F-22 Raptor advanced air superiority fighter until the U.S. government banned the purchase of the aircraft for export in 1997, citing sensitive technology. This prompted the country to seek another foreign solution or opt for local development - it chose the latter (though international cooperation may be ahead).

The F-X program exists thanks to the "i3 Fighter" project and the X-2 "Shinshin" technology demonstrator program, with the X-2 becoming a flyable one-off prototype with certain qualities that will soon become the F-X - including stealth. It held a data acquisition role from 2016 to 2018.

As things stand (2020), the first F-X prototype is expected to complete the construction phase in 2024, with a maiden flight expected sometime in 2028. Full-rate serial production will ramp up in 2031, and the Japan Air Self-Defense Force is expected to enter service with the fighter in 2035.

The current form of the F-X relies on a pair of embedded afterburner turbofan engines to achieve the required over-range performance and overall survivability. This will facilitate a sizable airframe that is also designed to house the fuel reserves needed for extended surface warfare, as well as radars mounted next to internal weapons. Electric actuators will replace age-old hydraulic methods, and stealth features will be heavily incorporated into the design to facilitate the reduction of radar cross-section and radar deflection this is achieved through special materials and airborne systems.

Composites will become part of the fighter structure, reducing weight while improving performance/range.

The engine of choice is an IHI XF9-1 afterburner turbofan, which is estimated to produce 22,000 pounds of dry thrust and up to 30,000 pounds of reheated thrust. The turbofan is designed to be particularly narrow to maximize the internal volume of the airframe, which can accommodate more weapons, fuel and other related systems. The exhaust ports are closed by thrust-vectoring flaps, giving the F-X exceptional agility while optimizing its stealth qualities.

Two of these engines will be installed in the design, giving the fighter excellent performance, but at the cost of greater maintenance and repair obligations, as well as increased fuel consumption.

Specification

BASIC

Year of Service

2035

Origins

Japan

Status

Under development

Program is running.

Crew

1

Production

0

Manufacturer

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Japan

Carrier

Japan (planned)

scrolling

air-to-air combat, fighter

The general ability to actively attack other aircraft of similar form and function, usually using guns, missiles and/or airborne missiles.

Intercept

The ability to intercept incoming airborne threats with high performance, usually speed and rate of climb.

X-Plane (development, prototype, tech demo)

Aircraft designed for prototyping, technology demonstration, or research/data collection.

Dimensions and Weight

Length

65.0 feet

(19.81m)

Width/span

45.5 feet

(13.87m)

Height

16.4 feet

(5.00m)

Cured weight

30,865 lbs

(14,000 kg)

MTOW

56,218 lbs

(25,500 kg)

Wgt Difference

+25,353 lbs

(+11,500 kg)

Performance

Installed:

2 IHI ??XF9-1 afterburner turbofan engines, each producing 22,000 lb dry thrust to 30,000 lb thrust, each with reheat.

Maximum speed

1,460 km/h

(2,350 km/h | 1,269 knots)

Maximum

65,617 feet

(20,000 m | 12 km)

Area

1,864 km

(3,000 km | 5,556 nautical miles)

rate of climb

45,500 ft/min

(13,868 m/min)

Range (MPH) Subsonic: <614mph | Transonic: 614-921 | Supersonic: 921-3836 | Hypersonic: 3836-7673 | Hypersonic: 7673-19180 | Reentry: > 19030

Weapons

Suggested, default, fixed: 1 x 20mm internal auto cannon. Optional: Support for various air-to-air and air-to-ground weapon options and ammunition stored in the internal weapons bay arrangement. These include XASM-3/ASM-3 anti-ship missiles, laser-guided bombs and microwave missile jamming weapons.