Lockheed & Mitsubishi’s F-2 Fighter Partnership
Related Stories: Americas - USA, Asia - Japan, Budgets, Contracts - Awards, Design Innovations, Equipment - Other, FOCUS Articles, Fighters & Attack, Lockheed Martin, Materials Innovations, New Systems Tech, Other Corporation, Partnerships & Consortia
(click to view full)
Japan’s F-2 looks like the F-16 from which it was derived. When placed side by side, however, it is noticeably bigger, with a 17” longer fuselage, larger horizontal tails, 25% more wing area, more internal fuel storage, and 2 more weapon store stations than the F-16. Weapons carried include the AIM-9L Sidewinder and MHI AAM-3 short range air-air missiles, the AIM-7F Sparrow medium range air-air missile, MHI’s Type 89 ASM-1 and ASM-2 anti-ship missiles, rocket launchers, and bombs including GPS-guided JDAM weapons. The centerline and inner-wing hardpoints are “wet,” and can carry drop tanks with up to 4,400kg of fuel for long range combat air patrols. The aircraft is powered by GE’s uprated F110-129 engine generating 17,000 pounds of thrust, or 29,600 pounds with afterburners on.
The F-2’s increased range is very useful to Japan, given their need to cover large land and maritime areas. Nevertheless, as a result of design decisions and meddling from Washington, the resulting aircraft ended up costing almost as much as an F-15J without delivering the same performance. As a result, production will end early.
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries is the prime contractor for the F-2, with partnerships in Japan and America. Lockheed Martin in particular is a major subcontractor, and their releases offer a window into the larger F-2 program. This is DID’s FOCUS article covering the F-2 program, as a new award brings contracted production to its final total….
(click to view full)
Japan already produces F-15J Eagle aircraft under license from Boeing, and in 1987 they selected Lockheed Martin F-16 fighter jet in 1987 as the basis for a “local” design that would replace its 1970s era F-1s. The aim was to produce a less expensive fighter to complement its F-15s, receive key aerospace technology transfers, and give Japan’s aerospace industry experience with cutting-edge manufacturing and component technologies.
The US Congress proved to be a significant program obstacle, however, raising many questions about technology transfer issues delayed the program by at least 2 years, and also led to a better but more expensive design.
The F-2 delivered on the technology front. Its heavy use of graphite epoxy and co-cured composite technology for the wings encountered some teething problems, but proved to be a leading-edge use of the technology that provides weight savings, improved range, and some stealth benefits. This technology was transferred back to America as part of the industrial partnership.
On the flip side, the ambitious goal of developing even a derivative fighter, using new technologies, despite Congressional roadblocks, exacted a price. At a reported $108 million in 2004 dollars, the F-2 is as expensive as the F-15s it seeks to supplement; but its radar’s smaller size, overall performance, and single engine make it a less capable aircraft. As a result, a program originally intended to field 130 fighters will cease production at 94.
(click to view full)
The government of Japan has overall F-2 program responsibility, and funds the program. Under the agreement, Japan is responsible for producing approximately 60% of the aircraft and the other 40% is produced in the USA.
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) is the prime contractor and has design responsibility for portions of the airframe and avionics, the digital flight controls, the active phased array radar, and certain support equipment. MHI is also responsible for overall systems integration, and all components are assembled by at their Komaki South Plant near Nagoya, Japan.
Key Japanese subcontractors include Fuji Heavy Industries (FHI) and Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI). FHI is responsible for developing the aircraft nose cone, the composite upper skin for the wing, and the horizontal and vertical tail assemblies. KHI is responsible for the center fuselage. The aircraft’s fly by wire system is a co-development with Japan Aviation Electric and Honeywell. Ishikawajima Harima Heavy Industries (IHI), another Japanese participant, provides the F110-GE-129 engines under license to General Electric of the United States.
Lockheed Martin provides all the aft fuselages, wing leading-edge flaps and stores management systems; 80% of all left-hand wing boxes; and other avionics and avionics support equipment. They are also supporting MHI and the JASDF as they incorporate, for example, the Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) onto the F-2, and aid in other support activities.
With the JASDF’s F-4J and RF-4J Kai(zen) Phantom IIs slated for retirement, and the F-2s discontinued as uneconomical, future Japanese fighter purchases could break one of 3 ways. One option is more license-manufactured Boeing F-15Js, possibly with radar and systems upgrades to bring them up to par with the USAF’s own modernization program. EADS’ 4+ generation Eurofighter represents an equally modern option, with the potential for additional technology transfer from a new set of industrial partners. That would be an unusual move for Japan given its culture of long-term partnerships, but might become possible if Japan’s request for Lockheed Martin’s F-22 Raptor 5th-generation stealth fighters is turned down, or industrial motivations trump capability given the F-22’s very low industrial spinoffs.
(click to view full)
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) is the prime contractor for the F-2; Lockheed Martin is the major subcontractor under the terms of their partnership. Lockheed Martin components are shipped to MHI’s Komaki-South facility in Nagoya, Japan, where they are assembled with other components by MHI to form the F-2. MHI delivered the first production aircraft to the Ministry of Defense in September 2000.
April 8/08: Lockheed Martin announces the 12th and final contract from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI), valued at approximately $250 million. Lockheed Martin will manufacture all of the aft fuselages, wing leading-edge flaps and stores management systems; 80% of all left-hand wing boxes; and other avionics and avionics support equipment, for 8 additional F-2 production aircraft.
This award brings the total aircraft under contract to 94, which is the total that the Japan Government has authorized for production. Lockheed Martin is also working with MHI to define appropriate post-production support arrangements. Lockheed Martin release.
March 31/07: Lockheed Martin receives a $150 million contract from MHI to manufacture components for 5 additional F-2 production aircraft. Lockheed Martin release.
March 31/06: Lockheed Martin receives a contract from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) valued at over $145 million to manufacture components for 5 additional F-2 production aircraft. This is the 10th annual contract for F2 production, bringing the total aircraft under contract to 81. At this point, more than 60 F-2 fighters are in service in Japan. Lockheed Martin release.
(click to view full)
March 31/05: Lockheed Martin receives a contract from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) valued at over $125 million to manufacture components for 5 additional F-2 production aircraft. This new award brings the total aircraft under contract to 76. Lockheed Martin release.
March 31/04: Lockheed Martin receives a contract from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) valued at over $130 million to manufacture components for 6 additional F-2 production aircraft. This new award brings the total aircraft under contract to 71. Lockheed Martin release.
April 27/03 Lockheed Martin announces a new 3-year labor agreement with District Lodge 776 of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM), the largest union at its Fort Worth, TX aircraft manufacturing facility. The new contract will allow the union members to report to work as usual on Monday, April 28/03, and resume their production of the F-16 Fighting Falcon, major portions of the F/A-22 Raptor, and components for Japan’s F-2 fighter, among other projects.
March 31/03: Lockheed Martin receives a contract from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) valued at $160 million to manufacture components for 8 additional F-2 production aircraft. This new award brings the total aircraft under contract to 65, with 36 total F-2s delivered by the end of the month. Lockheed Martin release.
March 29/02: Lockheed Martin receives a contract from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) valued at over $200 million to manufacture components for 12 additional F-2 production aircraft. This new award is the 6th annual contract under the MHI-LMCO partnership, and brings the total aircraft under contract to 57; by the end this month, 28 F-2s had been delivered to the JDA. Lockheed Martin release.
October 2001: The Japan Air Self-Defense Force deploys the first F-2 to Misawa AB in northern Japan. Source.
April 20/2000: Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company’s military aircraft design and production facility in Fort Worth, TX is awarded the coveted Shingo Prize for Excellence in Manufacturing. Named after internationally acclaimed industrialist Shigeo Shingo of Japan, the Shingo is sometimes referred to as the Nobel Prize of manufacturing.
Lockheed Martin ’s release says that they are the largest single company, and the first aerospace prime contractor, ever to receive the award. It adds that they earned the award for several outstanding achievements, including substantial progress in implementing lean manufacturing principles in the production of the F-16, F-22 and Japan F-2 fighter aircraft. Other award criteria included the company’s successful partnering with customers and suppliers, application of innovative product development, et. al. Lockheed Martin release.
February 24/98: Lockheed Martin Tactical Aircraft Systems has implemented an automated control process to streamline its procedures for documenting non-conforming material in the factory that produces the F-16 and major components for the F-22 and F-2 fighters. The change is one aspect of a lean manufacturing and quality improvement initiative that began in 1992.
Under the new process, 7 steps are streamlined into 4. The Quality Assurance Inspector enters the Quality Assurance Report (QAR) QAR directly into the PAAC data management system via computer. It is then reviewed by personnel who enter the QAR disposition into the system, which automatically performs transactions and creates rework or repair orders based on disposition. A laser printed paper QAR copy is routed with parts and then sent to the Quality Assurance Inspector who closes the QAR.
The old process took between 20 to 30 days to complete. With the automated system, up to 10 days can be cut from the cycle. By 2001, by 2001, Lockheed projects project net cumulative savings of over $1 million from this system, plus significant cycle time improvements and lower QAR rates. The automated process has already been successfully implemented in the F-22 program, and is scheduled to be implemented in the F-2 program by the end of February 1998. It will be fully implemented in the F-16 program by the end of 1998, and will be applied to future programs such as the Joint Strike Fighter. Lockheed Martin release.
October 1995: First flight of F-2 prototype aircraft.
March 1995: Delivery of the first prototype F-2 aircraft.
- Air Force Technology – F-2 Attack Fighter, Japan
- Military Today – Mitsubishi F2
- Aerospace Web – Mitsubishi F-2 Multirole Fighter
- Lockheed Martin – F-2 Defense Fighter
- Mitsubishi Heavy Industries – F-2
- Lockheed Martin Code One magazine (Q1 2001) – Full Production, Full Deployment For The F-2
- Lockheed Martin (Nov 8/99) – 3-D Woven Composites for the Joint Strike Fighter
- MRO Today (1999) – Lean manufacturing of F-2 wing boxes cuts waste, raises quality
