Japan plans to launch the development plan of F-3 fighter in 2016 or 2017, an article published on the official website of Aviation Week and Space Technology on Oct. 22 said.
An U.S. professional and technical publication had a comment on Japan's new-generation F-3 fighter: It is more advanced than F-22 Raptor and F-35 and is comparative to the next-generation fighter being developed by the United States.
News about Japan's developing new generation fighter has never stopped over the two years, but it seems that Japan has a more advanced fighter development plan from the article disclosed on the Aviation Week and Space Technology, and the F-3 fighter even will surpass U.S. fourth-generation fighter entering in service in overall performance. What does it mean for Japan to develop such advanced fighters? What purpose are they serving?
According to media coverage in Japan, all the development plans of new weapons and equipment aim to cope with the technological development of weaponries of its surrounding countries and neighbors. However, Japan can buy the fighters it needs from normal channels. As the main fighters' supplier, the United States does not want Japan to develop more advanced fighters independently because it will lose Japanese market on the one hand and weaken the United States' control of Japan on the other hand. From this perspective, Japan has larger ambitions under the cover of coping with neighbors.
Japan has disclosed its long-term strategic objective, namely "Japan will be a normal powerful country," which is interpreted by many Japanese as the military power and use of the military power must be matched with its objective and status. Advanced aviation technology is the core content of military technology, which can be said having a symbolic significance to achieve Japan's long-term national strategy.
Read the Chinese version: 日本研发新一代战机剑指何方？; Source: Xinhua; Author: Chen Hu
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