Lockheed Martin Wants to Build a Super F-22 Raptor for Japan

Reports are once again emerging from Japan that Lockheed Martin is pitching a highly modified version of its stealthy F-22 Raptor air superiority fighter to Tokyo for its next-generation fighter requirement. However, Lockheed Martin would first have to overcome the 1997 Obey Amendment, which prohibits export of the powerful high altitude supersonically cruising stealth fighter. Additionally, the company would have to undertake a painstaking process to restart a production line for an aircraft that has been out of production since 2012.

If the Pentagon, U.S. State Department and the U.S. Congress agree to change the law and allow Japan to restart the F-22 production line, there is some possibility that the U.S. Air Force could benefit from avionics upgrades for the new Japanese Raptors. Based on the threats the U.S. Air Force sees becoming operational in 2019-2020, the service is looking at planning future upgrades for the F-22—however those discussions are classified. But the fact remains that the Raptor’s avionics will need to be completely revamped at some point.

“Sometime between 2025 and 2030 we’re going to have to take a serious look at the supportability of some of the systems onboard the Raptor and upgrading those,” Tom McIntyre, a program analyst for F-22 requirements at Air Combat Command, told The National Interest last year . “We’re currently in the very early stage of looking at that.”

It is unlikely that the U.S. Air Force would buy additional F-22s for itself, however. The aircraft is expensive–with the Japanese variant potentially costing between $188 million and $215 million per jet depending on the order quantities—and the design is dated. Given the sheer cost of the aircraft, it is simply not worth it when there are more important priorities for the U.S. Air Force.

Dave Majumdar is the Defense Editor of The National Interest. 

This article appeared originally at The National Interest.