F-22 Raptor in foreign service

[MikoLee]

IIRC the Replica was always positioned upside down, something to do with radar reflectivity assessments.

They did that at Tonopah test range with the Have Blue  and F-117  too, wonder why?

That kit may not be accurate as an F-22 but i can imagine that being a nice base for a BAE systems Tempest...

Oooof! now you're talking!

Was thinking the same.

Get one!! Do it!

Miko (part time bad infulence)

[MikoLee]

After successfully completing trails at Boscombe Down it was decided by the US Dept of Defense to allow the JASDF to trial the airframe, The Japanese government campaigned hard to acquire the F-22 or to be granted a licence to build their own as they had done with Mitsubishi Heavy Industry licence building US types such as F104 F4 and F15, However the National Security Agency advised against exporting such classified technology, While developing the Mitsubishi F2, the 'Super F-16 Lockheed Martin was compelled under the auspicies of 'national security' to withhold data to enable Mitsubishi to develop the F2a to it's fullest potential. With the political climate once more tuning belligerent with the Russian invasion of Crimea in 2014 North Korean nuclear tests and Chinese incursions into Taiwanese air and sea space brought about a decision to allow close allies to access more sensitive data. The YF-22 being an early aerodynamic demonstrator of low observable 'stealth' technology which by then had become widely understood, the aircraft had little operational hardware installed just flight control systems.
The aircraft was stowed in the lower decks of HMS Queen Elizabeth for CSG21 arriving at Yokohama Naval Base early September 2021, the Aircraft was disembarked and taken by rail to Gifu Air Base in central Japan for flight preparation by representatives of Lockheed Martin, BAE Systems and Mitsubishi HI, The first flight was to Chitose Air Base in Hokkiado in the far north of the country,(close to Hakodate airport famous for the 1976 MiG25 defection by Lt Viktor Belenko) here it is was to fly a 'red' operations simulating attacks from Russia over the sea of Japan, it was believed the YF-22 would have similar low observable characteristic to the Suhkoi Su 57 PAK FA, thus allowing valuable data to be collated for JASDF F-15's and F2a fighters in detection and interception of stealth aircraft.













Miko (currently stripping paint ready for scenario 3)

[NARSES2]

Looks good in that scheme 

[McColm]

The Japanese were considering building something that resembled the YF-23 Black Widow to replace their F-15s, so I can see this as an alternative. 

[chrisonord]

Hmm...? BAE Tempest you say

[MikoLee]

Hmm...? BAE Tempest you say

Cool!! Like the Viggen, I did an air superiority 11sqn Viggen a looooong time ago, I just cross decalled an Airfix Lightning F3 and a Viggen, I may have pics. . . somewhere?

 

The Japanese were considering building something that resembled the YF-23 Black Widow to replace their F-15s, so I can see this as an alternative. 

You mean the X-2 Shinshin

Miko