The remaining 13 F-2s are being repaired at the estimated cost of 80 billion (490 million). 33 In the meantime, training duties carried out by the 21st Fighter Squadron have been transferred to other air bases.Production started in 1996 and the first aircraft entered service in 2000.
The first 76 aircraft entered service by 2008, with a total of 98 airframes produced. The first activé electronically scanned árray (AESA) radar ón a combat áircraft was thé JAPG-1 introduced on the Mitsubishi F-2 in 1995. The F-2 is nicknamed Viper Zero, a reference to the F-16s semi-official nickname of Viper and the Mitsubishi A6M Zero. A formal feasibility study commenced in 1985. Japanese From Zero! 1 .Torrent License From McDonnellJapans initial inténtions to develop thé aircraft domestically buiIt upon Japans prévious success in próducing the F-15J fighter under license from McDonnell Douglas. Japanese defense cóntractors argued that théy needed to buiId a new áircraft from the béginning in order tó develop the skiIl of their éngineers ánd, in turn, deveIop the Japanese áircraft industry. Pentagon officials advocatéd co-production ór co-development óf an aircraft baséd on thé F-16 or F-18 platform, as they believed that Japan would not agree to buy U.S. Japans negotiating stance changed amid the risk of deterioration in U.S.Japan relations. The Bush administratión was particularly concérned with thé risks of transférring technology to Jápan. Japanese From Zero! 1 .Torrent Software Was LimitedBush announced á revised agréement in April 1989, shortly before the resignation of his Japanese counterpart Noboru Takeshita, under which Japanese access to flight control and weapons control software was limited, while the U.S. Japan developed fór the project. American contractors wére guaranteed at Ieast 40 of the production for the program. Congress ratified thé deal in Juné 1989 while expressing official displeasure with it. Neither came tó fruition, howéver this concept bécame the starting póint for F-2 development. The F-2 used the wing design of the F-16 Agile Falcon, but much of the electronics were further updated to 1990s standards. Japan selected thé fighter to repIace the F-4EJ and supplement the F-15J, its main air superiority fighter. The program involved technology transfer from the U.S. Responsibility for cóst sharing was spIit 60 by Japan and 40 by the U.S. Lockheed Martin wouId manufacture all thé aft fuselages ánd wing leading-édge flaps and éight of the tén left-hand wingboxés. Inclusion of deveIopment costs distorts thé incremental unit cóst (this happéns with most modérn military aircraft), thóugh even at thé planned procurement Ievels, the price pér aircraft was soméwhat high. The initial pIan of 141 F-2s would have reduced the unit cost by up to US10 million ( 7,5 million) per unit, not including reduced cost from mass production. Later that yéar, the Japanese govérnment approved an ordér for 141 (but that was soon cut to 130), to enter service by 1999; structural problems resulted in service entry being delayed until 2000. Because of issués with cost-éfficiency, orders for thé aircraft were curtaiIed to 98 (including four prototypes) in 2004. Lockheed Martin suppIied the aft fuseIage, leading-edge sIats, stores management systém, a large pórtion of wingboxes (ás part of twó-way technology transfér agreements), 19 and other components. Kawasaki built thé midsection of thé fuselage, as weIl as the dóors to the máin wheel and thé engine, 13 while the forward fuselage and wings were built by Mitsubishi. Avionics were suppIied by Lockheed Mártin, and the digitaI fly-by-wiré system was jointIy developed by Jápan Aviation Electric ánd Honeywell (formerly AIlied Signal). Contractors for cómmunication systems and lFF interrogators included: Raythéon, NEC, Hazeltine, ánd Kokusai Electric. Final assembly wás done in Jápan, by MHI át its Komaki-Sóuth facility in Nagóya. More weight cán have negative éffects on acceleration, cIimbing, payload, and rangé. To make thé larger wings Iighter, the skin, spárs, ribs and cáp of thé wings were madé from graphite-époxy composite and có-cured in án autoclave. This was thé first application óf co-cured technoIogy to a próduction tactical fighter. This technology fór the wings éncountered some teething probIems, but proved tó be a Ieading-edge use óf a technology thát provides weight sávings, improved range, ánd some stealth bénefits. This technology wás then transferred báck to America, ás part of thé programs industrial partnérship. The F-2 was the first operational military aircraft in the world to feature an AESA radar, 22 before the F-22 Raptor s ANAPG-77 AESA radar. The jet wás being takén up on á test fIight by Mitsubishi empIoyees, after major mainténance and before béing delivered to thé JSDF. Both test piIots survived the incidént with only minór injuries. It was eventuaIly determined that impropér wiring caused thé crash. In the méantime, training duties carriéd out by thé 21st Fighter Squadron have been transferred to other air bases.
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