Japan plans to replace 100 F-15Js with 100 F-35As

[jhungary]

F35 is something to disable US ally`s aerospace industry and force them to rely on US protection.
Those countries have to rely US F22 to face Russia`s T50 and China`s J20..

no, depend on where you stands, sure it would be nice to have T-50 and J-20, if you are an aggressor. But for most country, like Japan and South Korea or Australia, they were not planning to be aggressor for any time. For that they won't require an array of advance weapon.

When the time come of a defence need, what they look at is to blend in and help/support the US Air Force, not to doing it on their own. War were never won and lost automatically to whoever have the best tech and whoever have the biggest army. It's about how to fight.

Let me give you a head scratcher, US could have decommission and sell their retired weaponry still have milage on it(Like F-14, F-16, Guided Destroyer and Super carrier) Why they don't sell them to the highest bidder? I mean Russia sold 2 Carrier (1 to China and 1 to India) and British Sold 2 (1 to India and 1 to Australia), so why don't US sell their Carrier too?? Japan Can operate a Nimitz Class or America Class if they don't want Nuclear. Or even go for Iwo Jima Class Jeep Carrier, but instead they mothball and sink them??

 

[saadee]

only thing wrong with the F-35 is software. the whole program was over ambitious.

100 F-35A makes sense.
China will probably be rocking at least 300 stealth planes in the next two decades.
Japan should focus on counter stealth radar instead.

How about Wings? Bigger wings better turn. How about WVR engagement?