Mitsubishi F-2 is an integral component of Japan’s defense, wherein technology on the edge is blended with pragmatic design decisions for fulfilling the country’s unique security requirements. Built in a joint venture between Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Lockheed Martin, the F-2 was custom-made to replace the aging F-1 and provide the Japan Air Self-Defense Force with a productive, multi-role fighter.
Its history is that of Japan’s conservative approach to modernizing its war capability and building a credible deterrent in an unstable region where security interests are fluid.
The history of the F-2 soared in the 1980s when Japan’s Technical Research and Development Institute designed a fighter that would be capable of conducting long-range missions and yet be highly maneuverable. Since it was not an easy task to create a completely domestic fighter, Japan started with the well-tested F-16C Block 40 and began the FS-X program in 1988.
Japan created the fighter for the first time in collaboration with the United States through joint development, and all research and development costs were borne by Japan domestically for national defense. The result is a variant of the F-16 with extensive changes to suit Japan’s unique operational needs.
One of the most evident contrasts of the F-2 is that it has an increased wing area—about 25% greater than the F-16’s—with heavier payloads and enhanced maneuverability. Its nose also houses more sophisticated Japanese AESA radars, initially the J/APG-1, later upgraded to the J/APG-2, and the cockpit canopy of three panels provides a better view and stability to the pilot.
Tailplane, intake, and landing systems have also been reworked, and the addition of a drogue parachute for shortening landing distances—a standard feature lacking in most F-16 variants. The aircraft continued to develop since the project began, including gallium-nitride-type radar, new mission computers, and more electronic warfare.
The F-2’s missile systems also placed the aircraft apart. The ASM-3A supersonic anti-ship missile, manufactured by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, has a 300-400-kilometer operational radius and higher than Mach 3, which makes it virtually uninterceptible. It is also equipped with a guidance system in the form of a combination of inertial guidance, GPS, and an active radar seeker with stealth and electronic countermeasures in contested environments.
The F-2 is also equipped with the locally produced AAM-3 infrared homing short-range missile, which has 40G maneuverability and uses a smokeless engine, and is very effective for close fighting. Although there are likely to be few post-war combat sorties against Japan, they are superb deterrents and training exercises. The main duty of the F-2 is naval defense.
Even as superb a performer as it is in air-to-air combat, the aircraft is generally employed to attack enemy warships and anbeachheadsds, consistent with Japan’s preoccupation with stand-off power and missile defense. Coordination with allies only serves to make it more so. In April 2022, the Royal Australian Air Force successfully air-refueled F-2s from a KC-30A tanker, bringing coordination and preparedness, as in joint exercises like Pitch Black.
Japan treads the fine line between national technology development and foreign technology. While Japan-designed missiles like the ASM-3A and the AAM-3 exist, certain American systems continue to be in the picture with calls for keeping a strong national defense industry. Fourth-generation ASM-3 Kai missile is currently under development, with a greater range and AI-capability, all within the Japanese military context for defense purposes only.
Despite its aging, the Mitsubishi F-2 remains a mainstay of Japanese air power with its advanced avionics, heavy weapons capacity, and interoperability with allied nations. Its ongoing upgrade and modernization solidifies a practical commitment to maintaining technological leadership and operational efficiency, so that the aircraft will be able to respond to future threats in this century and support deterrence and regional security in the Indo-Pacific region decades into the future.
