Paul Lewis/SINGAPORE
JAPAN HAS temporarily dropped plans to acquire air-to-air refueling tankers under its KC-X requirement. It has also trimmed back on its planned purchase of new Mitsubishi FS-X support fighters, as part of the Government's newly approved five-year defence programme.
The Japanese cabinet has passed a '25.15 trillion ($250 billion) mid-term defence plan for 1996 to 2000. The five-year provision is '570 billion less than that originally proposed and will limit average annual growth in spending to 2.1%.
Japan's conservative Liberal Democratic Party, the largest member of the coalition Government, had been pressing for a Y25.72 trillion budget, but has been forced to accept cuts by its left-wing and centrist partners.
The Social Democratic Party, in particular, had been opposed to the inclusion of tanker and long-range transports in the mid-term plan, as they might be considered to be offensive weapons. It had also sought cuts in the FS-X programme.
The Japan Air Self-Defence Force (JASDF) had been hoping to acquire, an initial four KC-X tanker/transports. Aircraft under consideration, included Boeing's proposed 767 tanker/transport multi-mission aircraft, the McDonnell Douglas KDC-10 and its C-17 transport aircraft.
A study into the JASDF's tanker/transport requirement will be made, and there is provision in the mid-term plan for revisions to be made in fiscal year 1998, providing the overall budget is not increased. The Government has set aside a Y110 billion contingency fund for equipment procurement.
The coalition Government has agreed to reduce FS-X procurement, from 141 to the programme's original number of 130 aircraft. It also wants to shave Y200 million from the aircraft's average unit flyaway cost of Y8 billion.
Japan's Defence Agency had sought to hold down costs by boosting the number of two-seat TFS-X aircraft ordered. Plans now call for 83 single-seaters and 47 tandem-seat versions to be built. The reduction by 11 two-seaters will be made by scrapping plans to re-equip the JASDF's Blue Impulse aerobatic team and buying two fewer attrition aircraft.
Production of the FS-X over the next five years will total 47 aircraft, three fewer than planned. With approval to begin production of the first 11 fighters in 1996 - seven single seaters and four tandem-seat trainers - the JDA has redesignated the aircraft the F-2.
Source: Flight International
