Additional Japanese order for 105 F-35 Lightning stealth fighters to be built outside Japan

Japan's first F-35A Lightning during its roll-out from Lockheed Martin's production line in Fort Worth. Photo c/o Lockheed Martin.

Despite Japan's ability to build the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning stealth fighter aircraft on their own, it was known that Japan would instead procure F-35s built outside the country for the next batch of orders.

This is to reduce the production cost of the 105 F-35 it announced for procurement starting 2019.

Producing the F-35 in Japan increased the overall cost of the aircraft due to the costly low quantity, low-rate production that was designed primarily to protect and improve the Japanese aviation industry. But Japan is said to be struggling with the system, and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries is still fully-booked to produce 38 units of the 1st batch of 42 F-35As Japan ordered from Lockheed Martin several years ago.

It was confirmed that 63 units will be the F-35A conventional take-off and landing variant for the Japan Air Self Defense Force (JASDF), while 42 units will be the F-35B vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) variant that could be employed on ships of the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF). Together with the 42 F-35As ordered earlier, Japan is expected to receive a total of 147 F-35s.

It is still unconfirmed if the F-35Bs will be operated by the JMSDF, or will be operated by the JASDF and embedded to future Japanese aircraft carriers or assault ships of the JMSDF.



[1] Defense News
[2] AIN Online
[3] The Straits Times