The Mitsubishi F-2 Support Fighter is the mainstay of air defense for Japan, proving that there is a large amount of collaboration going on between Japan and the United States. This single-engine, multi-role aircraft was developed throughout the late 1980s and early 1990s as a joint effort by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) with Lockheed Martin Aeronautics and other Japanese and U.S. industries. This program is testimony to the firm technology transfer and workshare between the two nations.
Having been based on the Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon, the F-2 is capable both in air-to-air and air-to-surface missions, especially for the defense of Japan’s sea lanes. Much more interesting is the fact that the F-2 was the first production fighter to be equipped with an Active Electronically Scanned Array radar. This would have made it sort of ground-breaking in radar. In 2015, it continued to evolve as Lockheed Martin’s Sniper Advanced Targeting Pod was added to boost targeting prowess.
The design of the F-2 includes an enlarged wing area of about 25 percent over that of the F-16, which allows it to carry more internal fuel and have additional weapon store stations. State-of-the-art co-cured composite technology was used by Japan in the wing substructure to achieve maximum strength with minimum weight. It also has a fuselage about 17 inches longer than the F-16 with larger horizontal tails, which adds to its superior performance.
The origins of the F-2 can be traced back to the early 1980s in Japan’s Technical Research and Development Institute. Realizing the need for foreign assistance, in 1987, the Japanese government disclosed that a variant of the F-16C Block 40 would be developed. This marked the first collaborative program in developing fighter aircraft between Japan and the U.S. and was entirely funded by Japan.
The requirements of the F-2 called for it to be able to carry four anti-ship or medium-to-long-range missiles, which made increasing the wing area and other modifications necessary. Similar to all JASDF fighters, it performs interception duties, but its main mission is the destruction of enemy landing forces or warships using anti-ship missiles.
The Mitsubishi F-2A and the twin-seat trainer variant, the F-2B, are both combat-ready. While the F-2B gives up some of the internal fuel capacity of the F-2A, as well as ECM antennas, it is similarly armed. Over the years, the F-2 has undergone many modernizations; the most recent of these is the addition of the J/APG-2 AESA radar and such advanced missiles as the AAM-4B and AAM-5B.
It has good armament capabilities with air-to-air missiles, guided bombs, and air-to-surface missiles. The main weapon is an internal M61A2 cannon, which contains 512 rounds. In addition, the modifications of the F-2 have installed new radars and electronic systems, boosting their combat potential.
Essentially, the F-2 is a manifestation of advanced aerospace engineering and international collaboration. It has formed an integral part of the arsenal of defenses possessed by Japan, remaining relevant with continued modernization.