Not very. They are planning on the F-35 for that. I also have read that looking into a navalized Typhoon was considered a remote possibility (really bottom drawer) should the F-35 project not come to pass.

Who is the Eurofighter Typhoon article by? Is it any good?

The Typhoon is sadly lacking in a decent book.

I’d like to know that as well. Especially whether there is some more substantial and factual data about the Typhoon revealed. 🙂

With the Japanese experience in building aircrafts and developing indigenous weapon systems, couldn’t they integrate their own ordnance or even potentially help on pushing the A-G integration along for US and European weapons?

It could become part of the whole tech transfer/licensing thing, couldn’t it?

China? They need the US right now. We buy everything they make. Their own people can’t afford to buy the stuff they make right now.

Ahahahaha! :rolleyes:

You know who financed the current US-Iraq war by buying truck loads of government bonds? Yup, right, China.
You know who’s pumping oil and steel prices by buying everything the market throws their way? Yup, right, China.

Should they decide to dump their bonds, then the US budget and economy would be in serious problems, which would pull the rest of the western industry world down with them.
Should China decide to try and conquer Taiwan anytime soon, expect the US government to be more than just a little hesitant with interdiction.

[IMG]

This has been said about many black vehicles, but this does look like Darth Vader’s personal ride.

Going by a rather pop-culturish impression I also think that Europe still has a kind of “Renaissance bonus”. It seems to me that Europe and relatively traditional values from fine arts to high-quality manufacturing still enjoy a desirable image in Japan, while Americans and american products are often depicted as big, loud and somewhat crude.
That’s at least what Japanese TV makes it look like.

Whether that would be enough to offset what it’s really like and to offset the geopolitical advantages of buying US hardware I don’t know.
But then again they already have strong defence industry ties with their procurements and licensing and it seems an increasingly validated strategy to diversify one’s military logistics dependencies, which could also be an issue for the 20 F-X in South Korea. Buying the Typhoon would give them more independence by keeping the military supplied and operable to a certain degree if they should fall out with the US over some issue that could lead from intentional but unacknowledged delays to full-out US embargos.
The Typhoon would be a second leg to stand on and with its multi-national compatibility for a wide range of weapons systems and adaptation to domestic systems could become a vital part of the JASDF.

I think the US influence and concludently promised benefits are still strong, but I would not rule out the Typhoon buy. Same for South Korea, but there the US buy seems even more likely.

I think you may have something there. I don’t see the USA being willing to allow Japan the access to the F-22 (including the local industrial involvement you mention) which the Japanese would want. The Eurofighter countries would probably be happy to exchange technology for Japanese money & any useful Japanese stuff, & the US to let the Japanese get their hands on the the F-18E.

It might be called the Eurofighter, but I actually think that Japan would also make a fantastic fifth member in the Eurofighter consortium. Proficient heavy industries with the Mitsubishi behemoth, experienced high-tech design studios and a tradition of licensed fighter manufacturing should make them a valuable and knowledgeable partner.

While a fifth member might be difficult to implement into the production chain, a close relationship and information exchange and occasional production outsourcing could probably benefit them both.