- Sputnik International
Asia
Find top stories and features from Asia and the Pacific region. Keep updated on major political stories and analyses from Asia and the Pacific. All you want to know about China, Japan, North and South Korea, India and Pakistan, Southeast Asia and Oceania.

Made in Texas: Japan Releases First Photo of Troubled F-35A

© Japan Air Self-Defense ForceJapan's first F-35
Japan's first F-35 - Sputnik International
Subscribe
As Lockheed Martin prepares to send Joint Strike Fighters to customers around the world, Japan has released a photo of its first F-35 purchase at the production facility in Texas.

Deemed combat-ready earlier this month, the F-35A variant will soon be delivered to international partners. On Sunday, the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) published a photo of a newly completed fighter that, after completing flight tests at Luke Air Force Base, will be distributed to Japan.

An F-35 Lightning II performs a test flight near Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. - Sputnik International
US Air Force’s F-35A Conducts Successful 'Kill' Test Against Drone

The F-35 bears the serial number 69-8701, and has also been designated AX-1.

The fighter is one of four currently in production for the JASDF at the Lockheed Martin facility in Fort Worth, Texas.

In all, Tokyo plans to purchase 42 F-35As, the traditional takeoff and landing variant. Of these, 28 will purchased within the next five years. These will replace Japan’s aging 1960s-era Mitsubishi-McDonnell Douglas F-4J Kai (Phantom II) aircraft.

Boeing was working on a stealth plane long before the F-22. - Sputnik International
Will Japan Finally Get the 1,498 MPH F-22 Raptor, Command Air Superiority?

Tokyo has also made repeated requests to acquire a fleet of F-22 Raptors, but has so far been denied by the US government.

At a cost of over $1 trillion, the F-35 is the most expensive weapons system ever built. Despite these costs, the aircraft has been riddled with problems throughout its production, including software glitches, engine malfunctions, and flight performance issues.

Despite being deemed combat-ready, the fighter still suffers from an ejection seat malfunction that could place the lives of pilots at risk. The US Air Force is currently troubleshooting the issue.

Newsfeed
0
To participate in the discussion
log in or register
loader
Chats
Заголовок открываемого материала