Japanese fifth-generation fighter, Mitsubishi’s ‘Divine spirit’

Japan may become the fourth country after the U.S., Russia and China to possessits own fighter of the fifth generation. The new fighter, relatively small in size and weight, will become the first battle plane, constructed without assistancein Japan over the past seven decades.

Japan may become the fourth country after the U.S., Russia and China to possessits own fighter of the fifth generation. The new fighter, relatively small in size and weight, will become the first battle plane, constructed without assistancein Japan over the past seven decades. In the beginning of May, Japan placed an order for the delivery of the first four F-35 fighters made in the United States. This decade, Japan intends to purchase 42 aircrafts of this type, and continue the purchase beyond 2020. However, these plans may raise doubts if the Japanese successfully develop theirown fighter, which promises to supersedethe F-35 in many aspects.

Relatively little is known about the new Japanese aircraft, which is being developed according to the ATD-X (Advanced Technology Demonstrator-X) program, and, until recently, its practical use has been questioned.

The development of the project started in 2004, and at the same time the ATD-X index was assigned to it: the new aircraft was considered to be a demonstration of their technological capabilities, and the question of it being added to their arsenalwas not raised.

Meanwhile, in 2007 a dramatic turn came about, regardingthe fate of the project: the United States refused to supply the F-22 fighters to Japan, and the Japanese government decided to develop a full-fledged combat aircraft on the basis of the ATD-X project. However, the name of the project remained the same.

The flight of the first Russian Т-50 fighter in January 2010 and of the Chinese J-20 a year later, gave additional impetus to the work. The impossibility of purchasing the F-22 fighters, unclear perspectives of the F-35 fighters and their limited capabilities forced an increase in thefinancing of the ATD-X project.

In March 2012 the Mitsubishi factory in Tobishima, not far from the city of Nagoya, began assembling the first ATD-X aircraft to be used for static tests. Next year the construction of three flight copies of the aircraft is due to begin. The first flight of the new Mitsubishi fighter,named “Shinshin” (the hieroglyphs 心神, which represent its name, can be translated as the "Divine spirit"), is expected in 2014.

The F-35A fighter which Japan can (and plans) to buy in the U.S. has a number of significant limitations. In particular, it does not possess super maneuverability, lackssubsonic cruising speed, and is not equipped with a side-looking radar. All this makes many experts estimate the F-35 potential as being inferior even in comparison with the 4++ generation aircrafts Su-30MKI and Su-35S (which are already under serial production), and as being much more inferior than the F-22 and potentially, the Т-50 aircrafts.

Japan’s most probable enemies - China and Russia - have already started rearming their air forces by adding improved fourth-generation aircrafts to their arsenals and preparing to add the fifth-generation aircrafts in the within the next 10 years. However, the potential of the Chinese J-20 project remains questionable so far, and the mere possibility of China being armed with a fifth generation fighter is a significant threat.

In the end, the ATD-X project is aimed at incorporating a new aircraft to the Japanese Air Force, which will not have the F-35 limitations that were caused by the desire to create a universal platform meeting the requirements of all kinds of aviation. Financial and technological limitations do not play any special role in this issue. Japan is a country with enough means to afford even a very expensive fighter, and its technological level allows the development of all necessary aircraft units, including engines, in a reasonable period of time.

The time needed to develop military equipment is fairly standard for all aviation powers. Judging by it, the new Japanese fighter, provided the first flight takes place in 2014, will be included in a limited series not earlier than in 2017-18, and in mass production – only by 2020-21.

By this time, Japan will receive the F-35 fighters that will be added to its air arsenal in 2016. If the “Divine spirit’s” characteristics are rather high, in the future Japan may refrain from F-35 large-scale purchases, utilizing its own aviation industry.

In this case, if Japan is able to develop its own engine and to make the project fully independent from the delivery of significant units, it is not excluded that it will seek to export - at least for the purposes of lowering the price of the aircraft by means of increasing production.

http://english.ruvr.ru/2012_05_29/76383863/


ATD-X 「心神」(Shinshin)　Prototype Stealth Jet Fighter
This is Japan’s first prototype stealth jet fighter called the ATD-X (Advanced Technology Demonstrator-X).

In Japanese it’s affectionately known as 「心神」pronounced Shinshin…not Chinchin…

There are many “translations” of the word but you get a better feel for the spirit by reading the kanji characters.

The first SHIN 「心」is for spirit, soul, feelings, heart.

The second SHIN 「神」is for God.

You can make your own references from there.

The Shinshin is a fifth generation stealth fighter looking very similar to the F22 stealth fighter.

Designed to be a test jet, Japan began development on the fighter when the US refused to sell them F22′s due to security reasons.

(and no…it’s not because they thought you’d see a new stealth based imperial army from Japan. lol.)

Anyways, in these times of global unrest, everyone needs a stealth fighter these days so what did Japan do?

They decided to make their own.

With the help of Mitsubishi and Lockhead Martin, they finally built a prototype that is scheduled for its maiden flight in 2014.

Up until now, they have built a few smaller scale models to test stealth capabilities, systems, and design
Ever since the F22 was released, all fighters have adopted this type of design.

I personally liked the original blocky styling of stealth fighters but hey, what do I know?

It’s not about style…it’s about stealth…


http://www.world104.com/blog/tokyoinsider/?p=5073

Mitsubishi Hvy Ind : MHI Begins Assembly of Full-scale Model for Advanced Technology Demonstrator Aircraft Project

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI) today began assembly of a full-scale structural-testing model of an Advanced Technology Demonstrator (ATD). The ATD, which MHI is building under the contract with the Japan Ministry of Defense, will be used to prove the airworthiness of advanced technologies, including stealth capabilities and high maneuverability, for future Japanese fighters. With the commencement of assembly, the ATD project has now moved into the production phase.

To mark the beginning of assembly work, the "first rivet" ceremony was held earlier today at the Tobishima Plant of MHI's Nagoya Aerospace Systems Works in Aichi Prefecture. Among those attendees were Yoshitaka Akiyama, Director General of the Technical Research & Development Institute, the Japan Ministry of Defense; Haruhiko Kataoka, Japan Air Self-Defense Force Chief of Staff; and Takashi Kobayashi, Representative Director, Executive Vice President and Head of MHI's Aerospace Systems.

During the ceremony, an equipment mounting bracket was riveted to the bulkhead separating the fuel tank from the forward equipment bay in the mid fuselage, which houses electronic equipments. It marks the first step in the assembly of the ATD aircraft. This riveting was conducted for the full-scale static structural test model to be used to obtain strength data of the aircraft's basic structural elements and to verify the design of the ATD.

The ATD prototype project was launched in Japanese fiscal year 2009 (April 2009-March 2010) in the situation of next-generation fighter development programs in neighboring countries. Through flight tests of advanced technologies relating to stealth and high maneuverability, the project aims at the empirical research of the advanced fighter technologies and air defense systems that are capable of coping with the stealth fighters that may soon be deployed around Japan.

With the assembly of the full-scale static structural test model as the first step, the ATD project is on track to produce a flight test model that is expected to make its first flight in 2014. The project is slated for completion by the end of March 2017.

MHI is committed to playing a major role in Japanese defense industry going forward and will make every effort to see the ATD project through to a successful completion.
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