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Japan scraps plan to obtain U.S.-made anti-ship missiles for F-15

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Now let’s analyze it under military aspects. In a conflict and defense situation , you just don’t need them. You need something against air attacks, land based ship defense if they are coming nearer,

You don't get it. An F-15 has a big payload and long range. With long range stand off weapons like JASSM the F-15 never has to penetrate an enemies air defenses. It can launch something like a JASSM/JASSM-ER or the new 1000 mile range JASSM-XR from well outside the range of Chinese radars and air defense systems. If the mission is done right the Chinese shouldn't realize they are under attack until the missiles are almost over their targets. LRASM is designed specifically to defeat modern shipboard defenses and has had a really good test program. Long range to allow the F-15 to launch undetected and the ability to find ships using passive sensors so it doesn't alert the enemy it is coming at them. Likewise for defending one's own airspace there is no substitute for good fighters. While an F-15 isn't the least bit stealthy and won't get inside the best defended enemy airspace it is a very good choice for defending one's own airspace against enemy aircraft. Better than any air defense missile system, which is why western militaries rely on fighters for air superiority and not land based air defense missiles.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

The F15 jets were very obsoleted these days! many F15Js were built in 1980s and almost reaching the end of the designing lifespan!

Technology wise the F-15 is comparable to the SU-27/30. The Flanker and the Eagle were both developed at roughly the same time. Both are solid 4th gen designs and both are superb dogfighters with almost no attention to stealth. Their big square intakes expose their compressors to radar and create a huge reflection. Nevertheless, depending on the upgrade program a modernized F-15 could have a state of the art radar and combat management system that is able to use the latest air to air and air to ground weapons. It could still be a highly effective weapon for defending Japan. Age counts less than hours on the airframe and USAF depots at least are able to extend the service lives of tactical jets out to 20,000 hours in many cases. The Russian airframes have design lives on the order of 1100 -1500 total hours, less that the time between overhaul for most western tactical jet engines. Armed with long range stand off weapons like JASSM an F-15 does not have to penetrate an enemies air defenses and can launch outside the range of their radars.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

That is the danger of having a limited or sole supplier. No competition, hike the prices! Japan would be wise to strengthen its domestic supply chain, if only to introduce some competition, also look elsewhere than just the USA for weapons, this also will force the suppliers to be competitive.

As an island nation located where it is it needs a strong anti shipping capability, both land based and air launched, not to mention submarine launched. An air defence capability commensurate with the scale and nature of the threat.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

The cost of not being prepared for a war, is to encourage the adversary to start a war.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

What is the cost of not purchasing them? Think about it.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Race to the destruction followed by the continuous search of an invisible enemy.

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

Japan scraps plan to obtain U.S.-made anti-ship missiles for F-15

Hint--the savings from not buying these missiles means money is now able to be allocated to the US for taking off some of the burden of maintaining forces here.

The US has these anti-ship missiles, and plenty of F=15s in Japan. Everyone is still safe.

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

@Desert Tortoise

South Korea doesn't have a history of invading and brutalizing nations across Asia

More then 300 thousand South Korean troops took part in the Vietnam war, where they became notorious for their brutality to the locals.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

Yes, if I look into my purse, it’s the same. No money. So I believe that as a main reason.

Now let’s analyze it under military aspects. In a conflict and defense situation , you just don’t need them. You need something against air attacks, land based ship defense if they are coming nearer, and finally they will have to put feet on the ground, so you need long and short distance weapons to mow , sniper or fight them down. That’s it. No need to shoot those incoming swimming coffins with vulnerable outdated airplanes. That has not so much efficiency.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

American MIC is not happy about this, and a lot of Japanese bureaucrats behind this decision will be scrapped soon.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

If you’re an island and you’re going to scrap the anti-ship missiles, maybe you’d be interested in some white flags.

0 ( +5 / -5 )

@Mark

One more point China will NEVER attack Japan or any other nation,

1) Chinese invasion of Mongolia : 1945

2) Chinese invasion of Turkestan : 1949

3) Chinese invasion of Tibet : 1950

4) Chinese invasion of India : 1967

5) Chinese invasion of Vietnam : 1979

7 ( +10 / -3 )

The F15 jets were very obsoleted these days! many F15Js were built in 1980s and almost reaching the end of the designing lifespan!

-1 ( +4 / -5 )

Interesting lots of people missed this important bit of information.

The ministry said it will continue the upgrade program for the 70 F-15s

1) Modernized F-15J fleet is further shrinking from 98 to 70, a cut of 29%.

2) Until 2040, Japan's fighter fleet size shrinks to 70 F-15Js + 149 F-35s, for a total of 219 fighters.

3) Japan's fighter force will likely fall below 200 in reality due to continued Chinese air incursions and patrols wearing JASDF fleet down.

4) The F-3 program is likely to face a delay because Japan doesn't have the money to keep the program going.

So good luck to Japan fending off China with just 219 fighter jets in the next 20 years?

2 ( +6 / -4 )

Good choice. We wasted way too much money buying US weapons that they no longer want after upgrading their own to the newest version. Is better we invest developing our own weapon industry. We should not rely so much on US tech because it doesn't help our own industry one bit. And they always overcharge us anyway.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

S. Korea, half a country, half the population of Japan. What's their military budget and capabilities?

South Korea doesn't have a history of invading and brutalizing nations across Asia and the islands of the Pacific. Much of Asia wanted to see Japan's military capabilities strictly limited. Japan was not widely trusted (you should hear my wife on the subject !) and most Asian nations greatly preferred to see Japan dependent on the US for its defense. China was viewed more favorably than Japan by most Asian nations. Xi Jinping has changed this. Now nations in Asia fear China more than Japan and in fact look to Japan for leadership in deterring Chinese aggression. However Japan still has to walk a very fine line with China and both Koreas as they all still greatly resent Japan and harbor grudges from WWII. South Korea has no such restraints and is also shares a border with a heavily armed enemy with whom it is still technically at war with. Different as night and day.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

My bet? LRASM was developed from JASSM and they look pretty similar. They are all part of the AGM-158 family. Once those F-15s are upgraded to take JASSM, they can most likely shoot LRASM. I don't know that for a fact but it's my guess. My second guess is that if a war does materialize, those modified F-15s will be using LRASMs issued from the US inventory saving Japan the cost of buying and maintaining their own. Just a guess.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

This action sends the message to China that Japan is not serious about defending Taiwanese sovereignty, and that the recent. Chinese threat to nuke Japan has been heard loud and clear.

-2 ( +6 / -8 )

You noticed China's military budget?

Russia military budget?

S. Korea, half a country, half the population of Japan. What's their military budget and capabilities?

North Korea threatened Japan with Nuclear destruction. 2015 to 2018.

China threaten Japan with nuclear destruction for supporting Taiwan 2021.

All our enemies want Japan weak. Easy to destroy, easy to use atomic bombs again with no consequences of retaliation if USA doesn't want to get involved.

Japan. A powerful nation. Can be defeat so easily by having a weak military that's not prepared for the worse case scenario.

0 ( +8 / -8 )

Defense arms manufactures are greedy to an unbelievable degree. I have been associated with the US military for all my working life, the cost of anything defense related is 10 times it's actual cost.

8 ( +9 / -1 )

"Someone should tell the Japanese that defence costs money and that force projection is a capability it desperately needs."

Your answer is right here:

"Japan started developing its own standoff missiles from this fiscal year after securing a budget of 33.5 billion yen. The ministry plans to extend the firing range of surface-to-ship missiles that it had been developing to about 900 km.

The standoff missiles are being domestically developed to be launched from various platforms, not only from land but also from ships and aircraft."

4 ( +7 / -3 )

Someone should tell the Japanese that defence costs money and that force projection is a capability it desperately needs.

-5 ( +4 / -9 )

Good first step to stopping the occupation forces looting the county even more.

-3 ( +6 / -9 )

One more point China will NEVER attack Japan or any other nation, History shows that for over 400 years China uses $$$ to accomplish it's missions and goals, and it seems to be working for now.

-3 ( +7 / -10 )

"ballooning costs"

Yes and I think we all know why!? If you cut off all the middle man, the red tape, and bureaucrats, then you can purchase at the standard price set by the maker, like most other nations do.

Now that it is cancelled all involved will go crying all the way to the bank because of their GREED.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

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