Japan orders F-35
 

Politics and Aircraft Selection
 

The JASDF has about 110 F-4s, 160 F-15s, and 76 F-2s (Japanese F-16 look-alike).

The RF-4s are being retired, leaving about 90 F-4Es. They are admittedly long in the tooth. The Eagles are about 20 years old; still very capable.

The F-2 was a controversial program to bring F-16-type technology to Japan, as well as offset some of the cost of buying F-16s. Unfortunately for Japan, the aircraft ended up costing more than twice what a Block 50 would have cost, if they had just bought them from us.

Worse, of the 94 F-2s delivered, 18 were flooded by the Tsunami. 12 are being scrapped; the other 6 will require a lot of money to restore to flight status.

What would make the most sense for the JASDF would probably be a buy of Block 50 or 60 F-16s to replace the F-4Es, and augment the F-2s. The Eagles could get the radar improvements the US has added over the years.

However, I am guessing the US hinted that if Japan didn't buy the F-35, their access to future acquisitions could be hindered. Just a guess.

Curious that the only US airplane competing was the Hornet. Don't get me wrong---I am a Mac-Air guy, and the Hornet is a great jet for carrier ops. But it generally has less range/payload compared to land-based jets for a land-based air force.

Actually, no the Japanese collectively seem to prefer the best capabilities money can buy. They only went for the F-35 because the USG would not authorize the sale of the F-22 (congress limited the F-22 to US-only to try and prevent technology transfer which might have ultimately made it's way to the bad guys.)

They want nothing less than exactly what US forces are getting...anything else even if it makes more financial sense is distasteful to them.

If they want to pay for it, I have no problem giving it to them...out of all our allies they (and the Aussies) are probably the most reliable. They live in a bad part of town, and none of their neighbors like them.