THE JAPANESE and US Governments have finally reached an agreement on workshare for production of the new Mitsubishi F-2A/B support fighter, with officials expected to sign an accord in Tokyo by the end of July.
Director of the US Defence Security Assistance Agency (DSAA), Lt Gen Thomas Rhame, is scheduled to travel to Tokyo and sign a workshare memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Japan Defence Agency (JDA) on 30 July.
According to defence sources, he will probably be accompanied by Diana Blundell, director of the DSAA's plans directorate, who has led the US negotiating side. The deal guarantees the US aerospace industry an overall 40% share of F-2 production (Flight International, 24-30 July, P16).
An agreement had essentially been reached by 25 July in Washington, putting an end to months of long-winded and often torturous negotiations. US Embassy officials have spent the intervening week "-tidying up the deal," according to a Japanese source.
The signing of the workshare MoU clears the way for Congressional notification and US Department of State review of export licences. US negotiators had been working to conclude the deal before the US Congress' summer recess to avoid any further programme delay.
Final approval will allow US manufacturers to conclude production contracts with Mitsubishi and engine manufacturer Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries. Major US subcontractors, including Lockheed Martin, are already close to reaching production agreements with Japan.
Mitsubishi, in the meantime, has delivered the second XF-2A prototype to the JDA's Technical Research and Development Centre at Gifu for Government test-flying and evaluation.
Third and fourth prototypes, which are already flying with Mitsubishi, are due to follow in September and October.
Source: Flight International