Mitsubishi unveils fuselage for next Japanese fighter

Mitsubishi unveils fuselage for next Japanese fighter
Posted on Sunday, March 31, 2013 10:50:36 AM

Tokyo – Six years after the roll out of the first mock up, Mitsubishi employees Sunday marked another milestone along the path to fielding the nation’s next fighter, the ATD-X Shin-Shin. The center fuselage for the first JSDF near-production version of the fighter was unveiled Sunday at the company’s Nagoya Manufacturing Plant.

The fuselage incorporates design changes made during development to decrease weight in the final fighter.

“This is starting a new phase for what will be a very unique fighter capability,” said JSDF Maj. Gen. Otoko Sukebe

The latest – and possibly last – manned fighter built by Japan comes amidst rising concern over the new generation of aircraft being produced in neighboring countries

The ATD-X is expected to replace many other aging aircraft, including the F-1 and F-4

The fuselages for of the ATD-X are manufactured at Mitsubishi’s manufacturing plant in Nagoya, Aichi.

They are then shipped to Komaki where the wings are produced
“Today marks a momentous day for ATD-X program,” said Unko Oishii, F-35 deputy program manager for Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.