FAIRFORD, England, July 17 (Reuters) – Japan brought its submarine hunter aircraft to a British airshow on Friday, signaling its intention to compete for a potential multi-billion dollar contract.
Britain has not formally decided, it buy new maritime patrol planes but is under pressure to ensure it can take out aerial searches for subs after retiring from a former program in 2011.
A UK government defense and security review due to conclude later this year could state the need for a new marine patrol staff to replace the Nimrod, which tracked Soviet undersea activity during the Cold War.
The Japanese P-1, produced by Kawasaki Heavy Industries, is one contender. Boeing could deliver its P-8 Poseidon and Airbus an option based on its C-295 military aircraft.
After decades of restraint under a pacifist constitution since the end of World War Two, Japan is starting to try to export more arms.
The P-1 is due to pass at the Royal International Air Tattoo in foremost England on Saturday, in what would be the first time a Japanese military plane has participated in a European flying display.
A spokesman for Japan’s air force told reporters on Friday it was up to Britain to decide on the P-1 suitability for any requirement it might have.
Britain’s discovery comes at a time of rising tensions with Russia. Royal Air Force fighter jets scrambled to intercept Russian long-range bombers in recent months, and also been reports of suspected submarines in Swedish and Finnish waters, fuelling regional concerns.
Given Beijing’s growing power Britain’s want to keep power is reasonable. In line with this perspective, London seems to be setting itself with Japan as a reliable ally in the Indo-Pacific region.
On May 5, in a cloaked answer to an increasingly belligerent China, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson decided to launch a defense pact, under which the militaries of Britain and Japan will work more closely together.
A reciprocal admission agreement, once marked, will allow soldiers from both countries to deploy faster and participate in collaborative training and disaster relief missions. Australia and Japan just marked a similar RAA.
The agreement described a booster for the UK engagement in the region and a step toward furthering global peace and security. A few days ago, it report the Japanese and British governments addressed the primary jurisdiction issue in discussions to finalize an RAA.
Britain has already announced an Indo-Pacific tilt in its alien policy, with Japan as its primary East Asian ally. Together with Australia and the United States, the United Kingdom formed a new trilateral security alliance known as AUKUS.
Since AUKUS launched in September of last year, there has been constant speculation that Japan may join this alliance. Tokyo has been vocal in its support for the alliance, making frequent statements about the trilateral technology-sharing agreement.
In November, Japan’s ambassador to Australia even stated an interview with ASPI there are some instances or areas where AUKUS members may need Japanese cooperation and participation, and we are more than willing to contribute.
Japan and the United Kingdom finalized a reciprocal access agreement, Japan and Australia already inked a reciprocal access agreement in January, making it the first foreign-force establishing arrangement signed by Japan since its alliance with the United States.
The US and its partners are trying to give an effective strategic alliance in the area to deter Beijing. London and Tokyo are ideally fitted to this attempt, as they brought poses increasingly toward China in reaction to concerns about its growing influence and provocations.
Additionally, the United Kingdom has a lot to show Japan. The United Kingdom, for instance, is a member of NATO and the Five Eyes spying web and has a endless seat on the United Nations Security Council, which might give Japan a more significant presence in international forums.
Many viewers saw the Japanese Prime Minister visit the United Kingdom earlier this month as a positive indication for the two countries. Chris Hughes, a professor of international politics and Japanese studies at the University of Warwick, said Kishida’s visit further consolidates a UK-Japan quasi-alliance that work on for the last decade or more.
File Image FX-Japan
He said Japan-UK relations are becoming much stronger in security, but they tested by seeing how far Japan will be forthcoming to do more in security with the UK outside its own East Asia region and, likewise, how far the UK can sustain substantive cooperation with Japan outside its regions with the ongoing Ukraine crisis.
However, the fundamental gap between these two countries that need to resolve is their ways of engaging with China. Japan initiated and promoted the Free and Open Indo-Pacific concept, which the US later adopted.
The United Kingdom, on the other hand, has yet to formulate its strategy. UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson focused on forming the D10, a democratic alliance to confront China. However, there is no strategy in place to steer the UK initiatives. Without this, the UK Indo-Pacific commitment under Global Britain appears to be directionless.
In the defense sector two countries actively cooperating, and their businesses are already working on several joint projects. Recently, it reported Tokyo purportedly considering moving its F-X aircraft development partner from the US defense powerhouse Lockheed Martin to UK-based BAE Systems.
In a press release issued on May 5, the United Kingdom noted the two country’s endeavors to execute collaborative defense and security programs, highlighting the Future Combat Air System program in particular.
The Japanese Ministry of Defense (JMOD) has already promoted collaboration with the F-X subsystem at the UK level to reduce investment costs and operational risks. Much of the technology is comparable to those employed in the UK-led Future Combat Air System (FCAS) called The Tempest.
Several joint programs with the British have already begun. F-X and Tempest program essential identical timetables aiming for in-service dates in the mid-2030s.
UK program director, Air Commodore Johnny Moreton, was previously quoted as saying, in negotiations, conversations, and some pilot projects. Nothing is necessarily too complex at the moment. Doing a joint engine viability study with Japan moment, and quite exciting.
They have an F-X program with a very similar time frame to us, 2035. The threat is very similar to the one that we are anticipating, and in terms of an industrial nation, they sit at the top table, as do we, added.
In December 2021, Japan and the United Kingdom announced their intent to launch a collaborative engine demonstrator program. The project would use complementary technology developed by Rolls-Royce and IHI Corporation to build an entirely new full-scale power and propulsion demonstrator.
A sophisticated turbofan engine will drive the F-X aircraft propulsion, power, and thermal management systems.
After that, Tokyo stated that London would be participating in the engine and the production of relatable parts for the aircraft. This detailed report demonstrates the two countries growing ties.
Additionally, Fumio Kishida ofJapan administration announced earlier this year that Tokyo and London would resume working on a Joint New Air-to-Air Missile (JNAAM) in the fiscal year 2022. Ministry of Japan of Defense (MoD) allocated JPY350 million ($3 million) in FY 2022 to pay costs associated with air-launch tests of a JNAAM prototype.
The United Kingdom and Japan decided on February 15, to collaborate on sensor technologies for the Tempest and F-X coming war aircraft programs, further bolstering their security cooperation. The two governments agreed to work together on Japan and Great Britain’s Universal Advanced RF (JAGUAR) system after signing a Letter of Agreement (LOA).
Meanwhile, following the United Kingdom’s lead, Italy sought to collaborate with Japan development of its next-generation fighter plane.
Last month, Japanese Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi remarked that Italian Defense Minister Lorenzo Guerini showed interest in participating in the story of Japan’s F-X next-generation fighter plane.
