Special event
MITSUBISHI
X-2
SHINSHIN
JAPAN'S STEALTH PROTOTYPE
TAXI TESTING
BY: TAKESHI SHINODA
In January, Japan revealed its first indigineously designed and produced stealth aircraft, the X-2 Shinshin, built by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. On February 24, 2016, the prototype began taxi trials with flight testing to begin shortly thereafter. The X-2, formerly known as the ATD-X (Advanced Technology Demonstrator-X) Program, is a testbed for stealth and advanced avionics development that is expected to lead into development of the F-3 production fighter later next decade.
Although Japan has long sought to purchase the F-22 Raptor from the United States, the US government has banned exports of their fifth-generation air-superiority fighter. This has left the Japanese to develop such an aircraft on their own, although they do have Lockheed Martin's F-35A Lightning II fighter on order.
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