Comlux (Business Jet Charter Company) signs for 2 Superjets for 2014 delivery +2 options.

That`s exactly what I`m talking about.
If Japan can fund it, RR & GE can certainly make room for Japanese participation in development and production. UK would certainly buy it, and I believe several other Euro-F-35 countries had workshare tied into the F136, so if it is `rescued`, they would buy it. Not a cheap proposition, but again, buy the standard of Japanese military procurement it wouldn`t be excessive, and it would be exportable and be a better product: not just throwing money away. Joining development would be real experience not just assembling parts that are already designed and would just be cheaper to buy from the companies already manufacturing them.

Anyways, I don`t want to drag the thread too far off topic (Eurofighter) :rolleyes:

Rus-M canceled!

http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/rus-m-successor-to-soyuz-cancelled-363059/

http://www.russianspaceweb.com/

Yeah, I thought similarly (actual European funding of JSF development),
but I think he meant more in the sense of European plans to PURCHASE JSF aircraft…
Obviously nobody in Europe is developing/procuring ANOTHER, NEW manned platform in the next 10 years,
and if they had decided not to participate in F-35 at all, that perhaps may not have been the case.
(probably there wasn`t the funding anyways, but having the F-35 available makes another program a non-starter)
For the forseeable future, F-35 procurement (besides other platforms like Rafale and Gripen/NG) will be fighting for funds needed to shore up and expand needed capabilities in other areas… UAV development being a major one.

EVENTUALLY, I certainly see a new European manned fighter… OR TWO.
The opposite approach to the ¨3 in 1¨ F-35 approach is developing systems which can be simultaneously used by different planes… Extending to engines as well as electronics, I can see that approach also fitting with the political realities of the industrial base in different countries (while benefitting from maximal development sharing and commonalities). No country really needs top-end air dominance fighters for all missions (F-22s doing air policing in US… :rolleyes:) and even the `heavy` military countries like France and UK could well benefit from procuring a fleet of single-engined fighters for purposes where high-end capabilities aren`t needed. `Optionally manned` may or may not happen with that, but having a cockpit is certainly irreplaceable for a platform that is to be capable of full-spectrum operations… Including with GPS/communications non-functional. Rules of Engagement just don`t go away.

But that doesn`t need to be imagined until 2020 or so… 🙂

I imagine Rolls Royce is looking at quite a few cooperation scenarios with Japanese industry right now.

If Japan chooses to go with Typhoon, Japanese involvement with a new engine variant, for more thrust/economy, along with TVC would definitely seem in the cards. (I have the impression that TVC itself is basically designed, but the whole flight-control system would need to be re-worked to integrate it)

If/when Japan chooses F-35, given that they are this late to the party, they would normally not be able to participate in development as much… But RR/GE have this wonderful little engine that just needs more funding and customers, and they could almost certainly involve Japanese industry there. I don`t know if increased thrust would need a new intake (airflow), but increased economy itself would be great, and this would be `real` work, not `make-work` for Japanese industry to get involved with.

Personally, if I assume that the Japanese government is somehow suddenly able to rationally formulate and act upon a strategy meeting both deployment and industrial concerns, acquiring BOTH Typhoon and a F136-engined F-35 seems just about ideal for them at this point in time. Participating in Typhoon development, most importantly it`s MLU development 8 years or so down the line, will keep their skills fresh, and industry acquainted with how to work in a functioning project (if Eurofighter can be held as an example of that… barely) rather than the wierdo land of $200mil F-16 hack-jobs. That experience, along with joining the F136, would put Japan in the best position to possibly participate in a US NGAD project in the mid-2020`s (besides that demonstrating their independence itself gives them more bargaining power if the US beleives they may have other options besides buying what the US says).

I haven`t generally felt that Eurofighter was destined to win in a number of other global tenders (India, Brazil) but in this case I think they have good chances, and hope they make the best of it for all parties involved. Given that standards for Japanese military procurement (e.g. F-2), development participation in two such programs would hardly be as extravagant (cost-wise) in comparison to what they´re used to, and it would hold the promise of being cost-effective if Japanese contributions are adopted by a wider user-base (Eurofighter countires, F-35 countries who want F136).

Hasn´t there been talk of inducting more MMRCA, and also quicker, possibly outside of HAL production, as well as for nuclear strike role?

Tiger is not yet being armed with missiles, while Gazelles carry HOT, i.e. if they want to use missiles, Gazelle it must be.

France already decided to integrate Hellfire to Tiger, but the process doesn´t seem complete at this time (or in inventory at any rate).
Spain uses the fiber guided Spike made by the Israelis for their Tigers, but given France decided not to go that route,
they don´t have compatable launchers or training, which also goes for the PARS missile chosen by Germany.