三菱重工業は9月２７日、２０００年以降に予定した航空自衛隊F-２戦闘機計98機(F-2A×62機、F-2B×32機、試作機４機）を完納し戦闘機の国内生産がすべて終了、最終号機の完納式が三菱重工小牧南工場で催されました。
貿易摩擦解消の一環でF-16をベースに共同開発することを米国に呑まされつつも飛行性能向上や対艦ミサイル運用の為に垂直尾翼以外は全て三菱重工によって再設計したF-2、莫大な開発費も日本が負担させられ、炭素繊維強化複合材の技術なども持っていかれ、振り回され続けた結果単価の高い高級機となってしまい文句言われまくり、結果145機生産予定が98機。更に宮城県の松島基地配備の１８機は東日本大震災の津波で水没する被害受け修復可能な機体は残念ながら6機程度。。開発からずっと不運続きなF-2です。。
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries delivered the last multirole fighter F-２ to the Ministry of Defense on 9/27 and ended the production. The production started in 1996 and the first aircraft entered service in 2000. A total of 98 (F-2A x32, F-2B x32 and 4 proto types) have been built.
F-2 was based on the General Dynamics (post 1993, Lockheed Martin) F-16. Japan was convinced to have a joint development with the US in part to help ease trade friction. The F-2 used the wing design of the F-16 but Mitsubishi Heavy Industries redesigned the rest. Even though the US took Mitsubishi Heavy Industries’ Carbon Fiber Composite material, Japan was responsible for most of the developing costs. It ended up costing way more than they planned and it resulted in a reduced number of the production from 118 to 98.
18 F-2s based at the Matsushima Airbase in Miyagi Prefecture were damaged by the 2011 Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami. Out of these 18, 12 were deemed beyond repair and will be scrapped. The other 6 will be repaired. The F-2 has a sad history from the beginning because of political tensions between the U.S. and Japan in the early 1990s...
次期主力戦闘機（ＦＸ）を国内生産するかどうか確定しておらず、生産が再開しても数年の空白期間は避けられなず、次期戦闘機は純国産ではなくF-35, F/A-18、Eurofighterの３機種が候補、年中１１月には決定予定とか。また良いように使われちゃうのかなあ。。
近隣諸国の領空海侵犯は増加中、竹島&尖閣諸島の領土問題も緊迫中、中国は軍備拡大＆近代化推進中、ロシアもそんな気配、韓流メディアインベージョン、それに付け加え腐りきった日本の行政。。。 ご近所さん同士仲良く出来るのが一番なんですが、何かあった時の為に太刀打ちできるだけの防衛力を常備しておくべき。頑張れ国防！
Deployment of the next generation experimental fighter (FX) has been scheduled for 2016, but the government has been delaying the model's selection. They are planning to select either the F-35, F/A-18 and Eurofighter by end of this year.. They probably will get ripped off again...
It has been increasing the number of Neighboring countries' overflights and waters infringements in Japanese territory. They are getting more aggressive with the territorial issues, such as Takeshima and Senkaku Islands Territories disputes. China has been working hard on military expansion and modernization. It seems like Russia is expanding the military power as well. Korea has been using the Japanese media to try and spread a fake movement favoring Korea. And our rotten administrations isn’t helping the situations at all... Japan needs to have greater protection of our self defense force to avoid potentially big threats. Don't get me wrong, I am not saying that we should prepare for fighting. I wish to have good relations with the neighboring countries, however, we should have enough defense power for any possible emergencies we may have to face.