Shinshin (Ghost) Japan’s Stealth Fighter

Project Shinshin: Japan’s ATD-X Stealth Fighter

http://aviationweek.typepad.com/ares/2007/06/mitsubishi_stea.html

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/08/11/asia/AS-GEN-Japan-Fighter-Jets.php

Japan's Technical Research & Development Institute (TRDI) recently unveiled images of the Mitsubishi ATD-X stealth fighter in the form of a full-scale radar cross-section (RCS) model. One picture was released a few months ago by TRDI, but has now disappeared from their site. Other images can be found here. They include a presentation slide confirming that France has been supporting the Japanese stealth program: between September and November 2005, the model was tested in the French government's radar cross-section (RCS) range. Other features of the twin-engine jet include thrust vectoring with external paddles, an F-22-like external shape, fly-by-light controls and the testing of a smart-skin sensor.

 

In some ways the ATD-X project is comparable to BAE Systems' Replica stealth demonstration in the mid-1990s. It's not likely that the Japanese government will fund the development of an operational stealth fighter, but the domestic capability may be used to ease US concerns about exporting its own stealth aircraft to Japan. Further down the road, too, the same technology could be used in other systems such as cruise missiles or unmanned air vehicles.

 

Solange0650 Using the French range is logical. At Bruz, near Rennes, France's DGA defense agency's CELAR (center for military electronics) laboratory constructed the Solange indoor RCS range. A photo found here shows that Solange may be the biggest indoor RCS range in the world, capable of measuring a real fighter rather than a subscale mock-up. The same site also confirms that Solange was built with the help of a US company, absorber specialist Emerson & Cuming.

I getting a mix of Su-35 and F-35 here...

I getting a mix of Su-35 and F-35 here...

With a side of Aardvark! Check out the schnoz on that thing!

First image made me go "Wha...? Su-27-style canopy on a Raptor?", but the second one looks like the bastard child of a Su27, Raptor and 'Vark after they've done the horisontal tango in bed.

Looks pretty cool, though :D

Looks gorgeous!! Firefox lives. RAAF will have 100 plz :)

Looks like something out of an animи, looks great though...

Looks like a very fast aerodynamic shape.

With equal (or even less) engine power I think it will go faster than a raptor.

Looks like a morph of a Su-35 and an F-22.

Nice looking for now, wait for final build and capabilities.

It will be interesting to see how maneuverable it is WVR. I've read that Japanese Eagle drivers practice BVR intercepts quite a bit, but don't focus much time on visual range dogfighting. It will be interesting to see what the Japanese design it to be capable of, seeing as how its a domestically designed aircraft and could be custom designed for their needs.

New engine (XF5-1):

And other "Ghost" news:

http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/blogs/defense/index.jsp?plckController=Blog&plckScript=blogScript&plckElementId=blogDest&plckBlogPage=BlogViewPost&plckPostId=Blog%3a27ec4a53-dcc8-42d0-bd3a-01329aef79a7Post%3a22abe2fc-0087-4e1e-a82d-04d19b25d322

http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2008/02/01/221236/japan-cuts-back-funds-for-atd-x-steath-demonstrator.html

http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/blogs/defense/index.jsp?plckController=Blog&plckScript=blogScript&plckElementId=blogDest&plckBlogPage=BlogViewPost&plckPostId=Blog%3a27ec4a53-dcc8-42d0-bd3a-01329aef79a7Post%3abe4908c7-8ddc-48f9-a951-a24c28b9629b

http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/blogs/defense/index.jsp?plckController=Blog&plckScript=blogScript&plckElementId=blogDest&plckBlogPage=BlogViewPost&plckPostId=Blog%3a27ec4a53-dcc8-42d0-bd3a-01329aef79a7Post%3a58a11354-f021-41e7-90df-68b85911bc45

Su-34, F-22, PAK-FA, F-35...

I dunno who's the father and who's the mother of this plane but it's the most beautiful 5 gen baby in the world!

Red sun rising!!! Welldone!

I'm just waiting for it to fold into a giant robot.

Nice to see the japanese are working on such project. It looks a lot like F-22. It will be nice to see some improvements though like 3D thrust vector control for instance. But on the other hand if they are not closely cooperating with US i doubt they`ll manage to build this aircraft by themselves from scratch and make it competitive. They will definitely need help in some fields, where they don`t have big experience, like the radar for example unless they plan to install some modified F-15 radar.

Afaik, Mitsubishi J/APG-1 AESA radar is mature enough to be seen on operational F-2 fighters.

Though i look at Shin-shin and don't see a fighter yet. A tech-demo instead. So, no obvious urgent need in all those special fighter systems.

Nice to see the japanese are working on such project. It looks a lot like F-22. It will be nice to see some improvements though like 3D thrust vector control for instance. But on the other hand if they are not closely cooperating with US i doubt they`ll manage to build this aircraft by themselves from scratch and make it competitive. They will definitely need help in some fields, where they don`t have big experience, like the radar for example unless they plan to install some modified F-15 radar.

If you look at it's nozzles you'll notice some weird looking panels, probably used for vectoring...

If you look at it's nozzles you'll notice some weird looking panels, probably used for vectoring...

Yep, and on the other links there were some pictures of some versions with three thrust vectoring paddles much like X-31.

Interesting. I thought this project was merely to put pressure on the US to sell the F-22 so that it would imply a limitation of stealth technology export from Japan.

Looks like the response to american stealth will be first put forward by the japanese, not the chinese or russians (just watch the PAK FA first flight dates slip).

Who would have though that heh? :D

Looks like the response to american stealth will be first put forward by the japanese, not the chinese or russians (just watch the PAK FA first flight dates slip).

 

Who would have though that heh? :D

My guess is the PAK-FA will be completed first followed by J-XX and the japanese last considering the limited funding the project has recieved so far, and the economic crisis which is slowing down the progress.

By "completed" you mean mass production or a flying prototype?

Flying prototype. Hopefully several years later massproduction.

The final product might be bigger than this. No internal bay. And a bit too small to be a pratical fighter.

But I guess thats form the tiny budget they got. -->Dont diss the japanese efficiency.

I'm just waiting for it to fold into a giant robot.

This is the funniest thing Read all day! Thanks !!!!!!! You get a rep for that! LOL!!!

thanks for sharing

Japan is looking to use foreign engines for the prototype aircraft needed for its fifth-generation fighter programme.

The ATD-X Shinshin programme is still in the study stage, but industry sources in Japan and overseas say Tokyo has issued a document to engine-makers seeking information and pricing on powerplants needed for two prototype aircraft.

Responses are due to be submitted by 10 May.

© Tim Bicheno-Brown/Flightglobal

 

Japan is interested in engines in the 10,000-20,000lb thrust class (44-89kN), and has a long-list of candidates on which it is seeking information, the sources say.

These include the General Electric F404 used to power the Boeing F/A-18 Hornet, Snecma's M88-2 for the Dassault Rafale and Volvo Aero's RM12, integrated with the Saab Gripen. Its search even contains the Gas Turbine Research Establishment GTX-35VS Kaveri, still in development for India's Aeronautical Development Agency Tejas light combat aircraft.

Japan had wanted to buy Lockheed Martin's F-22 to meet its future fighter requirement, but the US government has barred exports of the type and agreed to halt production for the US Air Force. Tokyo has responded by vowing to develop its own fifth-generation fighter under the ATD-X programme.

Local engine-maker Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries (IHI) has been assigned to develop the XF5-1 engine for the ATD-X. The move to source foreign engines for the prototypes could be part of efforts to give IHI more time and ensure that the overall programme remains on track.

Japan is also expected this year to issue a request for proposals for new fighters under its F-X programme. Aircraft in the running will include the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, Eurofighter Typhoon, and Lockheed's F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.

Source

http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2010/04/27/341145/japan-seeks-foreign-engines-for-stealth-fighter-prototypes.html

^^^^

Interesting...