Japanese Air Force

Militarov wrote:

AlfaT8 wrote:

Militarov wrote:"The U.S. State Department has approved the sale of three unmanned drones worth $1.2 billion to Japan, the Pentagon said Friday. Lawmakers have 15 days to block the sale, although such action is rare. Once the deal has cleared that hurdle, Japan and the U.S. government can negotiate the actual sale. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency, which oversees foreign arms sales, told lawmakers the government of Japan had asked to buy three Global Hawk drones including parts and logistical support.



The drones “will significantly enhance Japan’s intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities and help ensure that Japan is able to continue to monitor and deter regional threats,” the agency said in a notice to lawmakers that was posted on its website. Japan has long been mired in a territorial dispute with China over a group of tiny, uninhabited East China Sea islands. In the South China Sea, Japan has been helping build the military capacity of friendly nations with claims to parts of the waterway.

On Friday, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced that he may consider a request from the Philippines for large coast guard ships to patrol the South China Sea. The prime contractor on the deal would be Northrop Grumman Corp."

Source: http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/11/20/us-japan-drones-idUSKCN0T92B120151120#6UqxdWji4UJ7502X.97

Wait, what, $1.2B for 3 drones that would mean each would cost $400m, unit cost is around $130~225m a pop, so with part and logistics the price almost doubled.

So here's the thing, weren't UCAVs presented as a cheaper alternative compared to fighters, but from what i see you could probably buy one or two squadrons of SU-35s (even F-22s, please correct me if i am wrong) with that money.

Well you know spare parts, maintenance crews training, operators training, ground stations, probably some additional diagnostic equipment and tools... it can grow alot. Also this is thing is supposed to be replacement for U-2 "Spy plane" (even tho there are quite significant issues with that replacement) so its not really UCAV since its not armed.'

It has synthetic aperture radar, thermographic camera and optical sensors, and already common navigation and communication equipment. Its basically very big surveillance unmanned aircraft (big for fact its unmanned).

Hannibal Barca wrote:

Militarov wrote:

AlfaT8 wrote:

Militarov wrote:"The U.S. State Department has approved the sale of three unmanned drones worth $1.2 billion to Japan, the Pentagon said Friday. Lawmakers have 15 days to block the sale, although such action is rare. Once the deal has cleared that hurdle, Japan and the U.S. government can negotiate the actual sale. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency, which oversees foreign arms sales, told lawmakers the government of Japan had asked to buy three Global Hawk drones including parts and logistical support.



The drones “will significantly enhance Japan’s intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities and help ensure that Japan is able to continue to monitor and deter regional threats,” the agency said in a notice to lawmakers that was posted on its website. Japan has long been mired in a territorial dispute with China over a group of tiny, uninhabited East China Sea islands. In the South China Sea, Japan has been helping build the military capacity of friendly nations with claims to parts of the waterway.

On Friday, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced that he may consider a request from the Philippines for large coast guard ships to patrol the South China Sea. The prime contractor on the deal would be Northrop Grumman Corp."

Source: http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/11/20/us-japan-drones-idUSKCN0T92B120151120#6UqxdWji4UJ7502X.97

Wait, what, $1.2B for 3 drones that would mean each would cost $400m, unit cost is around $130~225m a pop, so with part and logistics the price almost doubled.

So here's the thing, weren't UCAVs presented as a cheaper alternative compared to fighters, but from what i see you could probably buy one or two squadrons of SU-35s (even F-22s, please correct me if i am wrong) with that money.

Well you know spare parts, maintenance crews training, operators training, ground stations, probably some additional diagnostic equipment and tools... it can grow alot. Also this is thing is supposed to be replacement for U-2 "Spy plane" (even tho there are quite significant issues with that replacement) so its not really UCAV since its not armed.'

It has synthetic aperture radar, thermographic camera and optical sensors, and already common navigation and communication equipment. Its basically very big surveillance unmanned aircraft (big for fact its unmanned).

In my opinion nothing is more overrated than UCAV. Simple RC models that kids used to play with them now rated as state of the art war machines.

Werewolf wrote:Drones are only useful for intel and other than that they are means of bowback weapon when you use it like americans, kill 90%++ of civilians, those civilians wanting revange are joining terrorist groups and by that they are fueling the opposition forces they are fighting. War in assymmetrical setting can only be won by assymmetrical forces.

Militarov wrote:

Werewolf wrote:Drones are only useful for intel and other than that they are means of bowback weapon when you use it like americans, kill 90%++ of civilians, those civilians wanting revange are joining terrorist groups and by that they are fueling the opposition forces they are fighting. War in assymmetrical setting can only be won by assymmetrical forces.

Well Israelis used UAVs with very high rate of success. Also they can be made into various EW platforms, communication relays and there are as you know 5-6 classes of recon-intel gathering UAVs. When its about armed, strike UCAVs i find them very useful as support asset, not real strike platform, noone expects them to win war for you, but they surely can help you alot. Not to mention the fact they are alot cheaper to buy and operate than conventional aircraft and can stay alot longer up there. As everything they have drawbacks but i wouldnt dismiss them like that.

Also in future we can expect them to be used as payload transport, who knows maybe even medievac, anti submarine...

Zivo wrote:







Weird, it has three paddle TVC like the X-31. My initial praises, it has twin engines, emphasis on maneuverability, and it looks really economical which is a big plus. My criticisms, the nose and inlets look too small.

It doesn't fit that "six gen hype" the Japanese made, regardless, it'll be another interesting project to follow.