Abaixo o Mock-up e desenhos do ATD-X. O projeto japonês que pretende desenvolver um avião ao nível do F-35 americano. As semelhanças de desenho são óbivias. Mas nada é impossível para uma industria que criou o formidável A6M - ZERO na Segunda Guerra Mundial.

Fonte: inventorspot.com

Not your grandfather's Mitsubishi...

Not your grandfather's Mitsubishi...
The words "Mitsubishi fighter" still have the power to send a chill down the spines of American war history buffs. It was, after all, just 65 years ago that the Mitsubishi A6M "Zero" ruled the skies over the Pacific by outclassing the vast majority of Allied aircraft sent to oppose it.

...but gramps sure would be proud!

...but gramps sure would be proud!
Now it seems that a descendant of the legendary Zero may soon be stretching its wings across the skies of Japan - and perhaps further afield. Alarmed by new developments in fighter aircraft technology displayed by traditional adversaries China and Russia, JASDF (Japan Air Self-Defense Forces) planners have been attempting to acquire the American F-22 Raptor fighter to replace their current F-15 Eagles. The F-22 is packed with the latest avionic and stealth technology but its high tech features have the Pentagon concerned about security leaks.

Stealthy, speedy and made in Japan

Stealthy, speedy and made in Japan
Even though the United States would lose out financially by not selling Japan the F-22, security issues are front & center these days and Japan is now looking to its own aircraft designers to provide a home-grown solution.

"Son of Zero", resplendent in carbon fiber

"Son of Zero", resplendent in carbon fiber
So it was that on August 9, the above photo was taken of what may be Japan's next-generation fighter. The 46 foot long carbon fiber mock-up was designed and built by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, builder of the Zero, at their Komakiminami Factory in Aichi prefecture. Freshly returned from France where it had undergone testing of its stealth technology, the sleek mock-up foreshadows what just might be the future of Japanese military aviation. (via News On Japan and newsinfo.inquirer, Zero image c/o murphybytes)


Outras Imagens e referências:



In some ways the ATD-X project is comparable to BAE Systems' Replica stealth demonstration in the mid-1990s. It's not likely that the Japanese government will fund the development of an operational stealth fighter, but the domestic capability may be used to ease US concerns about exporting its own stealth aircraft to Japan. Further down the road, too, the same technology could be used in other systems such as cruise missiles or unmanned air vehicles.

Mitsubishi stealth ATD-X ou F-3
As imagens são fruto de "CGI", não existe. Mas há rumores de ser o caça de 5ª geração japonês. Numa das fotos há dois modelos, um com cauda trapezoidal, mais escapes triangulares e outro com cauda modular comum e escapes cilindricos. A camuflagem típica dos japas a gente não vê no ocidente e por vezes parece um outdoor.



Visto de cima parece um Flanker com asas em delta - bem poderia ser em flecha quebrada como no F-16XL. Mas a carlinga é a do F-16 e a entrada de ar dos motores idem. Aquela variante azul parece ter a deriva de cauda tirada do F-14.