Battling US for huge deal, Eurofighter woos Japan

TOKYO – In a deal that could be worth billions of dollars and determine one of the primary fighter jets in Asia for decades to come, European aircraft makers are trying to convince Japan to do something it has never done before — snub America.

U.S. planes have long been Tokyo's overwhelming favorite, but Japan appears to be wobbling under a strong sales pitch for the Eurofighter Typhoon, coupled with problems and restrictions that have made the American alternatives less attractive.

The contract is expected to be worth upward of $10 billion, and the chosen plane will be the showcase aircraft for Washington's chief ally in the region at a time when both China and Russia are modernizing their air forces. Going European, some analysts say, also could complicate future U.S.-Japan air defense cooperation.

Lobbying has intensified as Japan nears a long-delayed decision on what will be its next generation of fighters, or "F-X" fighters, after it retires much of its current fleet. The deal is expected to involve 40 or 50 new planes.

Because of Japan's close military ties with Washington, options such as the Lockheed F-35 and Boeing F/A-18 have long been the top contenders, and analysts say the U.S. advantage remains strong.

But the four-country consortium that builds the Eurofighter is benefiting from a tail wind created by the U.S. decision not to sell Japan what it really wanted — the stealthy F-22 "Raptor" — and by production delays and cost overruns that have shadowed the F-35.

"Eurofighter Typhoon is the most capable aircraft available to Japan. It is the world's leading multi-role platform with outstanding air-to-air

This is as spontaneous as high-mass at St. Anthony’s:

As a tactic for Japan/US codevelopment of a Japanese-tweaked version of a US fighter, the Japanese go and make huuuuuge noise about how they will buy a foreign aircraft. The US offers a great current model the Japanese can buy off-the-shelf, but Japan says naaaaw...it’s wrong cuz we have these suuuuuuper unique defense needs; it should have chopsticks holders, and karate-kid clothes, and a rice-ball tray —there will be 100 reasons why a current aircraft just Will Not Do.

And Japan talks more and more loudly about how some euro aircraft is completely dreamy, sorta like Justin Beeber.

That induces panic in the US aircraft maker —”Wow...we’ll get NOTHING at all..!! Let’s tempt them by offering a whoooole bunch of coaching about sensitive airplane technology...!!!”

And so they win an agreement for the US to send large numbers of senior engineers over to Japan. There, in return for licensing fees they will teach Japanese folks about how to produce a muuuuch more expensive version of a US airplane.

The jobs will be created in Japan, and the fighter will end up about 500% more expensive than the US version. And Japan will be moved again down the field towards needing the USA for nothing at all.

Extra special spice is to accuse the USA of not understanding the uniqueness of Japanese Culture.

The objective is industrial policy, and not DEFENSE.

Japan is working on its own stealth fighter design, currently in the research phase. Therefore they don’t have to buy the F-35 to get stealth down the road.

They won’t buy F-15Es because, well because they’ve flown F-15Js for too long now, and it just isn’t new-enough looking.

So for the air intercept role, since the Japanese can’t have the F-22, the Typhoon would be a very good second choice. Lord knows the F-35 won’t do the job nearly as well.

And so they win an agreement for the US to send large numbers of senior engineers over to Japan.

Or they send them here, and their project liaison get pummeled with the most inane questions to learn every facet of the design and your methodology to derive it. (Seen it with my own eyes...)

My guess is 5 to 10 years hence they have product "X" that out performs your widget.

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