Japanese ATD-X makes first flight

Handout photograph released by Japanese aviation company Mitsubishi shows the Mitsubishi fifth generation stealth demonstrator, currently known as the ATD-X, making its maiden test flight in Nagoya on March 31. The new stealth demonstrator has been developed amid the highest secrecy as part of a plan to modernize the armed forces successfully performed its maiden flight, officials said

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The fifth generation jet, manufactured by the Mitsubishi company and known as the ATD-X, made a flight of just over 30 minutes at the firm’s home base of Nagoya in Central Japan.

“The flight went successfully. It lasted 33 minutes. All tasks envisaged for the first flight were carried out successfully,” Mitsubishi spokesman Takashi Takeuchi told the Kyodo news agency.

Kyodo said that the new jet has the capability of carrying out long flights above the speed of sound as well as simultaneously attacking different targets.

Japan is currently embarking on a major programme to modernize its air defense forces which continue to utilize American sourced aircraft built in the 1950’s and 1970s while neighbors are purchasing new aircraft.

The ATD-X project has been in the works for several years, and the defence ministry’s Technical Research and Development Institute received the go-ahead last year to build and fly a small demonstrator. The project appeared to take on added urgency after the USA refused to provide information on the Lockheed Martin F-22 for Japan’s upcoming F-X fighter competition.

MHI, which has licence-produced most of Japan’s fighters, is the lead contractor for the new programme. The ATD-X is similar in size to the Saab Gripen, and will be powered by two Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries XF5 afterburning, thrust-vectoring engines derived from the XF7 turbofan powering Japan’s Kawasaki Heavy Industries XP-1 maritime patrol aircraft.