I agree to that wholeheartedly. IAF sadly thinks like Teer, Boom and others. We will see how this unfolds, I am not giving up hope on the Gripen or F 35 till the thing is signed.

Japan chooses the F-35; India still evaluating second-best and third-best options!

As security concerns mount amongst Western Pacific nations, Japan’s MoD opts for the F-35A Lightening II for its F-X future fighter programme

Japan’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) confirmed today the purchase of 42 F-35A Lightning II fighters for its F-X future fighter aircraft programme. The cost of the contract is $4.7 billion, which adds up to a per-unit cost of US $113 million per fighter.

Japan is the latest F-35 customer, after Tel Aviv’s purchase of the fighter in October 2012 as the Israeli Air Force’s (IAF) next generation fighter aircraft. The programme was earlier joined by nine partner nations, comprising the US, the UK, Italy, the Netherlands, Turkey, Canada, Australia, Denmark and Norway.

In a statement the Japanese cabinet today said: “The government shall acquire 42 units of the F-35A after fiscal 2012 in order to replenish and to modernise the current fleet of fighters held by the Air Self-Defense Force.”

According to Lockheed Martin, the initial contract will be for four jets in Japan Fiscal Year 2012, which begins 1 April 2012. Japan’s Defence Minister Yasuo Ichikawa stated today that he is confident that his country will receive the first fighters within the agreed time-frame.

Tokyo has chosen the F-35 over the F/A-18 Super Hornet and the Eurofighter Typhoon, as a part of its F-X tender. The JSF will replace Japan’s fleet of 117 F-4 Phantom II, which have been in service with the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) since 1968.

According to AFP, the F-35 bid was the most expensive of the three, with its price tag of $US113 million per aircraft.

But it was selected, says Japan’s defence minister, Yasuo Ichikawa, for the qualitatively superior capabilities that it provides. Ichikawa says, “It is a fighter with capacity to respond to the changing security environment.”

Due to its technical complexity, it has become the most expensive weapons programme in the history of the U.S. Department of Defence (DoD) and has been troubled by increasing costs and delays.

Japan’s decision cannot but be seen in the context of an increasingly unstable security environment in the Far East. China’s military build-up goes hand-in-hand with growing tensions between the US and China over the western Pacific area. The F-35 selection has been announced a day after news broke of the death of North Korean leader, Kim Jong Il.

I disagree America has shown great bouncebackability in crisis situation throughout its history and this crisis will also pass over.

Excellent this means I don’t have to swallow a GBU-12 🙂 (I Promised to do so if typhoon wins)

Nothing wrong with your wish, but do you think it will ever happen with all the cost pressures and induction delays on the JSF? And imagine the political ruckus if India ordered it at it’s current prices (the 65 million USD being a wet dream).

I am sure India can afford it even if its near 150 😉

The capabilities it brings to the table are worth the wait and money.

Funny thing is that many of the F 35 critics here have their countries ordering it.

Well if the government do not want kick back allegations. Cancel it.

Order F 35 through FMS some more Su 30 from Russia for the interim.

Show it to Chinese they can reverse engineer anything. We can call things copies but that in itself require significant ability.