TOKYO: Japan’s defence ministry hopes to make a prototype of a next-generation stealth plane, the first new fighter jet designed by the officially pacifist country in 30 years, a report said on Tuesday.
The ministry will include funds to develop the manned prototype in its budgetary request for the fiscal year from April 2008, the Yomiuri Shimbun daily cited anonymous defence ministry officials as saying.
Japan has been officially pacifist since its defeat in World War II but has one of the world’s largest defence budgets and has gradually been expanding its military role.
The defence ministry is hoping to keep its technology up to date and also gain an edge in negotiations with the United States when it selects new fighter jets, the best-selling newspaper said.LINK
Sounds like they’re doing this in the hope it will force the United States to review it’s ban on selling the F-22.
I’m anxious to see what it’s going to look like.
Sign In
July 25, 2007 at 5:42 pm