Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. officially unveiled the first prototype of the Japanese stealth fighter designated X-2, at Nagoya Airport...
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. officially unveiled the first prototype of the Japanese stealth fighter designated X-2, at Nagoya Airport in Toyoyama today.
Earlier designated Advanced Technology Demonstrator X (ATD-X), the demonstrator aircraft will develop and test fifth generation fighter technologies including stealth, supercruise, integrated avionics and thrust vectoring.
The program will lead to development of a next generation Japanese stealth fighter to replace the current fleet of F-2 fighters as early as 2028.
Maiden flight of the prototype, which is 14.2 m long and 9.1 m wide is scheduled for mid February 2016.
Radar evading features include radar absorbing coating in fuselage, canted tail fins and special cockpit canopy material that reduce radar signature.
Powered by two XF5-1 turbofan engines, the X-2 is equipped with thrust vectoring nozzles that considerably improve maneuverability of the aircraft.
The 3D thrust vectoring capable system uses 3 paddles on each engine to deflect the engine thrust. Thrust vectoring using paddles were first used by Germans on the notorious V-2 rockets during the World War II.
Development which cost $440 million, began in 2009 after U.S. refused to supply the most advanced Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor stealth fighter to Japan.
The development is spearheaded by Japanese Defense Ministry's Technical Research and Development Institute (TRDI) and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) as industrial partner.
Images of the fighter was first leaked in 2014.
Earlier designated Advanced Technology Demonstrator X (ATD-X), the demonstrator aircraft will develop and test fifth generation fighter technologies including stealth, supercruise, integrated avionics and thrust vectoring.
The program will lead to development of a next generation Japanese stealth fighter to replace the current fleet of F-2 fighters as early as 2028.
Maiden flight of the prototype, which is 14.2 m long and 9.1 m wide is scheduled for mid February 2016.
Radar evading features include radar absorbing coating in fuselage, canted tail fins and special cockpit canopy material that reduce radar signature.
Powered by two XF5-1 turbofan engines, the X-2 is equipped with thrust vectoring nozzles that considerably improve maneuverability of the aircraft.
The 3D thrust vectoring capable system uses 3 paddles on each engine to deflect the engine thrust. Thrust vectoring using paddles were first used by Germans on the notorious V-2 rockets during the World War II.
Development which cost $440 million, began in 2009 after U.S. refused to supply the most advanced Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor stealth fighter to Japan.
The development is spearheaded by Japanese Defense Ministry's Technical Research and Development Institute (TRDI) and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) as industrial partner.
Images of the fighter was first leaked in 2014.
