U.S., Japan OK Joint Fighter Plane Project

The United States and Japan announced today they will jointly develop a new fighter plane in a project expected to cost more than $8 billion.

Japanese Foreign Minister Sosuke Uno and U.S. Ambassador Mike Mansfield signed an agreement under which Japan will bear the costs of planning and producing the sophisticated plane.

The fighter, named the FSX, is to be developed by U.S. and Japanese companies.

Japanese officials have said the total cost of developing the plane and producing an initial order of 130 and an expected follow-up order--both of which will go to Japan--will be more than $8.2 billion.

Each FSX plane will cost the Japanese government $42.2 million, Japanese defense officials said.

The two countries had clashed on the question of U.S. participation in the project. Japan originally sought to develop the jet using only Japanese companies and technology, while U.S. officials pressed for a joint project to trim Japan’s huge trade surplus with the United States.

Work Allocation Remains

The two sides reportedly agreed in June to allocate between 35% and 45% of the project to U.S. firms.

But Defense Agency chief Kichiro Tazawa said today that “the details of the division of work between the two countries will be decided later, taking into consideration such factors as economic efficiency.”

The new fighter will be based on General Dynamics’ F-16, according to the U.S. Defense Security Assistance Agency and Japan’s Defense Agency’s Equipment Bureau.

The Defense Agency named Mitsubishi Heavy Industries of Japan the prime contractor and General Dynamics of the United States as a subcontractor.

The Japanese technologies expected to be used in the plane include a sophisticated radar, advanced materials and a special wing to enhance maneuverability. The United States is expected to develop a special engine with increased power.

Mass production of the fighter plane is expected to begin in 1997.