Mitsubishi F-2

F-2
Mitsubishi F-2A
Role	Multirole fighter
National origin	Japan / United States
Manufacturer	Mitsubishi Heavy Industries /Lockheed Martin
First flight	7 October 1995
Introduction	2000
Status	In service
Primary user	Japan Air Self-Defense Force
Produced	1995–2011
Number built	94, plus 4 prototypes
Unit cost	¥12 billion yen; $127 million (constant 2009 USD)
Developed from	General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon

The Mitsubishi F-2 is a multirole fighter derived from the General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon, and manufactured by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Lockheed Martin for the Japan Air Self-Defense Force, with a 60/40 split in manufacturing between Japan and the United States. Production started in 1996 and the first aircraft entered service in 2000. The first 76 aircraft entered service in 2008, with a total of 94 airframes produced. The first AESA Active electronically scanned array radar on a combat aircraft was the J/APG-1 introduced on the Mitsubishi F-2 in 1995.

Work started in the FS-X program, initially given the company designation Mitsubishi SX-3, and began in earnest with a memorandum of understanding between Japan and the United States. It would lead to a new fighter based on the General Dynamics (post 1993, Lockheed Martin) F-16 Fighting Falcon, and in particular the F-16 Agile Falcon proposal. Lockheed Martin was chosen as the major subcontractor to Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, and the two companies co-developed and co-produced the aircraft. The F-2 used the wing design of the F-16 Agile Falcon, but much of the electronics were further updated to 1990s standards.

In October 1987, Japan selected the F-16 as the basis of its new secondary fighter, to replace the aging Mitsubishi F-1 and supplement its main air superiority fighter, the F-15J as well as the F-4EJ. The program involved technology transfer from the USA to Japan and vice versa. Responsibility for cost sharing was split 60% by Japan and 40% by USA. Lockheed Martin would manufacture all the aft fuselages and wing leading-edge flaps and eight of the ten left-hand wingboxes.