Jump to content

Japan can't find one of their new F-35 stealth fighters


RPM

Recommended Posts

Hong Kong (CNN) A Japanese F-35 stealth fighter, one of the world's most-advanced warplanes, has gone missing over the Pacific Ocean, Japanese defense officials said.

Officials said the single-engine jet from Japan's Air Self-Defense Force was on a training flight with three other F-35s when contact was lost Tuesday evening, public broadcaster NHK reported.

The planes, based at Misawa Air Base on the northern tip of the main Japanese island of Honshu, were about 135 kilometers (84 miles) off the east coast of Aomori prefecture when contact was lost, officials said.

The pilot of the single-seat fighter is missing, and a search is underway, according to Japan's Defense Ministry. 

No problems with the aircraft were reported before it went missing, NHK reported.

Japan's first squadron of the $100 million fighter jets went operational just 11 days ago, with about a dozen of the jets forming the 302nd Squadron at the Misawa base.

At present, some of the Japanese F-35 are assembled in the United States and others at a plant in Nagoya, Japan. It has not been revealed where the plane that went missing Tuesday was built.

no_wonder_2.png

Edited by RPM
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, Pato del Muerto said:

What are the odds that the plane and it’s pilot went missing concurrently?

article makes it seem almost coincidental. 

I took it the pilot and plane disappeared together. The plane didn't just fly itself on a mission... or maybe it did.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

19 minutes ago, SpiralOut said:

Turn on stealth tech.

Leave formation.

Fly to China and the duffel bags full of money.

Profit.

I expect a much cheaper, probably better working knockoff from the Chinese by 2022. 

This is not an unreasonable assumption. Why are we selling top of the line technology to foreign countries to begin with? Ally or not, that's a bad idea. But then we must think of the defense industry shareholders and their profits. The US can only buy so many airplanes and that really limits ROI.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Onboard 2.0 said:

Sounds like Thomas Dolby has another song to write.

So what you're saying is that it's actually there but we can't actually see it because we're blinded due to all of the science?

Edited by ROFL BOX
Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 hours ago, Onboard 2.0 said:

Sounds like Thomas Dolby has another song to write.

 

5 hours ago, ROFL BOX said:

So what you're saying is that it's actually there but we can't actually see it because we're blinded due to all of the science?

“One of our submarines is missing tonight
Seems she ran aground on manoeuvres
One of our submarines” T. Dolby 

Golden Age of Wireless was very good album overall, and is considered the genesis of steam punk, but most only know the MTV video hit. 

Edited by ShaggyBevo RIP
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 hours ago, RPM said:

This is not an unreasonable assumption. Why are we selling top of the line technology to foreign countries to begin with? Ally or not, that's a bad idea. But then we must think of the defense industry shareholders and their profits. The US can only buy so many airplanes and that really limits ROI.

They call it the "JOINT Strike Fighter" for a reason.  Our allies need stealth fighters. You can question how "allied" some of our allies are, but not Japan.  They're good people, and our 1st line of defense against China.

FWIW, by law, we can't export the more capable F22.  Japan REALLY wants it because of its better range.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.



×
×
  • Create New...