Japan eyes ‘game-changing’ military hardware to tackle its manpower shortage

Equally troubling for Japan are questions surrounding the reliability of future US administrations to come to the aid of Washington’s allies.

“Japan has to do more for itself,” said Kazuto Suzuki, a professor of science and technology policy at Tokyo University.

“We are aware that the US is our most important ally, but equally that if we do not do enough to protect ourselves then a future US administration might not help us,” he told This Week in Asia. “There has been a shift in our understanding that we cannot depend on the US forever.”

Designed to combine high speed, greater range, and radar-evading stealth technology, the NGAD fighter is estimated to cost several hundred million dollars per unit – a figure deemed too high by an Air Force already facing budgetary pressures over new stealth bombers, additional F-35 fighters, and next-generation nuclear ballistic missiles, according to an opinion piece published by the War on the Rocks website.

One potential solution, analysts say, would be for the US Air Force to instead purchase the latest version of the venerable F-15 Eagle, which first flew in 1972 and continues to conduct patrols over the Western Pacific from US airbases in Okinawa. Such a move could help alleviate the NGAD’s cost concerns, though it would represent a step back in terms of technological advancement.

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Japan weighs bold era of militarisation as Tokyo races to meet defence spending goals

While the latest F-15EX would be more affordable than the NGAD at US$100 million per aircraft, the key drawback is that it would also lack the stealth capabilities of its more advanced counterpart.

Garren Mulloy, a professor of international relations at Daito Bunka University and a specialist in military issues, said