I think MiG-31 is what the Japs really want, but how likely is that to happen ?

As corny as that sounds it would actually suit them well, if not better than the F-15 Silent Eagle. Big, bad, and its hard to ignore its capability. They would just need to sort out some serious maintainability issues.

If it revolves around the F135 engine, the GAU-22/A cannon, and require them to be two-seaters then it would be more palatable. Also they should have to pay for integration costs for the HMDS, PCD, and DVI; would be a positive for the usaf program. Basically make it more like the F-35 so that Japan opts into that program at least as an L3 partner.

I know, I know, why 2-seaters if they have pcd and dvi? Because the current F-22 should have had some token F-22B’s for training pilots. Just imagine two sets of eyes coupled with the high tech pcd system, it just makes it that much more effective and spotting the north korean bogies over the Sea of Japan…

The larger helicopters in U.S. inventory dispense large quantities of flares.

F/A-18E wasn’t the only option out there. They could have bought production rights for Rafale. Can you imagine the disgust from the brass if Rafale was forced upon them…

Pretty tough to hit a cold IR target.

Quite frankly the Russians jeered the U.S. when they began full production. The Americans obviously had defied the laws of physics by overcoming torque oscillations in all three axises. If memory serves me right they confided that they were nowhere near that kind of material strengths and had no idea how the Americans overcame such complexity. This is why they never deployed a comparable money pit…

Instant destruction of an enemy fighting force would be a waste of time…

The Yak-130 looks like its slat runs longer across the length of the wing, too.