Philippines also considering Japan’s F-2 Viper Zero Aircraft for its Multi-Role Fighter Acquisition

No less than the Chief of the Philippine Air Force (PAF), Lieutenant General Arthur Cordura himself told the Press recently that they are also considering the F-2 Viper Zero Fighter Aircraft that is made by Japan.

Quoting from him directly, "Mitsubishi Fighters (referring to the F-2), the Japanese made Multi-Role (Fighters) are very potential Platforms also".

MY THOUGHTS:
The F-2 Viper Zero is based on the F-16C Fighting Falcon Aircraft, but is made by Japan. Specifically, it was based on the proposed “Agile Falcon” Version of the F-16C which Japan then developed further and incorporated much of their own Equipment into.

An interesting Trivia is that it is reportedly unofficially nicknamed the “Viper Zero” because the “Viper” stands for the unofficial nickname of the F-16, and the “Zero” is for the legendary A6M Zero Aircraft that Japan made and used during World War Two (WW2).

Production of the F-2 stopped around 2011 though, so the PAF might be considering getting secondhand Aircraft from the Japan Air Self Defense Force (JASDF). However, the Manufacturer of the Aircraft, “Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI)” might be considering opening up their Production Line again also to produce brand new Aircraft, especially now that Japan is slowly expanding their List of Military Equipment that they will allow for Export.

Note that Lockheed Martin (LM) itself, the American Manufacturer of the F-16, is featuring the F-2 on their Website, so perhaps it is another Sign that they are willing to restart its Production Line in Japan. If so, MHI might revive the F-2 under its newer Version, the “Super Kai” which they showed in various Defense Exhibitions before.

The Super Kai is based on the F-16C Block 60 Version and will have Conformal Fuel Tanks (CFT), aside from other Improvements over the Viper Zero Version. But one Concern for me is that Japanese Equipment tends to be on the expensive Side due to their high Standard of living, so that might be an Issue.

However, if they are willing to give us some good Deals so we can afford the Aircraft better, then why not. Another Point about the F-2 is that it will have the same Problems also as the F-16C when used for “Dispersed Operations” as that Philosophy is not as deeply embedded into its Design.

The Thing to watch for me with the F-2 though is its AAM-4 Missile, which is one of the few Air to Air Missiles in the World right now that uses an Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) Radar. Putting an AESA Radar in a Missile gives it the Advantage of Stealth, as Radar Warning Receivers (RWR) will not be able to detect its Signal until it is too late, when it is already on its Way to hitting the Aircraft.

Another Missile with a similar AESA Radar is China’s PL-15 Missile which reportedly proved itself recently by shooting down the French-made Rafale Aircraft that was being used by India. The AAM-4 though only has roughly the same Range as the “C” Version of the AIM-120 Advanced Medium Range Air to Air Missile (AMRAAM).

It doesn’t go as far as the “D” Version of the AMRAAM, but then again the United States (US) seems to be only willing to sell to the Philippines their AMRAAM C and not the AMRAAM D Version which they reserve only for themselves and their closest Allies.

Putting an AESA Radar on a Missile will also likely make it a bit more expensive than the usual. The F-2 is interesting, but personally I would still pick the newer JAS-39E/F Gripen over it because of the Gripen’s Advantage in Terms of “Dispersed Operations”.

SOURCES:
* https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1252838
* https://www.lockheedmartin.com/en-us/products/f-2.html
* https://masdf.com/crm/f2superkai.html

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