Posted on 09/28/2011 7:35:05 PM PDT by sukhoi-30mki
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries bids goodbye to F2 aircraft
TOYOYAMA, Aichi -- Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) announced on Sept. 27 that production of the multirole fighter F2 would come to an end, bringing a conclusion to the aircraft's 16-year history.
During a farewell ceremony held at the company's Komakiminami factory in Aichi Prefecture, President Hideaki Omiya handed over the company's last F2 fighter to the Ministry of Defense.
Deployment of the next generation experimental fighter (FX) has been scheduled for 2016, but the government has been delaying the model's selection.
The multirole, single-engine fighter aircraft produced for the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (ASDF), was jointly developed by MHI, Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company and other Japanese industries. Its first trial flight took place in 1995.
Since then, these companies have manufactured a total of 98 F2 aircrafts, but lost 18 in the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, when they were heavily damaged by tsunami waves at the Matsushima Air Base in Miyagi Prefecture.
Despite the end to further F2 production, however, MHI is still responsible for the maintenance of F2 aircraft currently used by the ASDF. Nearly 1,100 affected part manufacturers say maintenance costs will become a burden.
"Since we won't receive any new orders, keeping up with maintenance only will be extremely costly. Since it is difficult for us to meet civilian demand, the situation calls for a clear, appropriate decision," a related company official said.
Ping.
I still have a hard time convincing myself to but anything built by the same company that built the aircraft that bombed Pearl Harbor in 1941.
but should be buy.
They don’t buy foreign either.
They do buy foreign systems; the F-2 aircraft is a bigger derivative of the F-16.
Thanks for your posts. I always look forward to reading and they are always worthwhile.
How does it compare to the F-16 Block 50?
You are always welcome!!
It has a higher fuel and payload capacity as well as an AESA radar though that is offset by its high cost.
Yep, and they fly the 767 version of the AWACs, the P-3, and the F-15J.
Where is the mid-air refuel port? Surely that isn’t it on the top of the plane and between the wings and the two antennas?
http://www.unitedstatestanker.com/SiteContent/Static/Docs/185038767EventCard.pdf
It looks like that. There’s a photo on the second page.
Concept for an F-2 on steriods proposed by Lockheed Martin
It was developed from the Block 40 F-16, sooo....
There is a large civilian market for this aircraft? (I did not know that)
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