Japan ends search for crashed F35 fighter jet
Japan called off its search for an F-35A on 4 June, almost two months after the stealth jet crashed into the sea sparking a scramble to recover the pilot and secrets onboard.
Defence Minister Takeshi Iwaya told reporters the search had been halted but that his teams were still investigating the cause of the crash, adding that F-35A operations in northern Japan had not yet resumed.
The ministry would also keep monitoring a wider area with underwater cameras ‘for the purpose of protecting classified military information,’ Iwaya said.
Experts say Japan and the US are keen to prevent sensitive debris from the plane being recovered by Russia or China, and Iwaya himself has admitted there were ‘a significant amount of secrets that need to be protected’ on the jet.
Some debris have been recovered, including the jet's tail, but neither the pilot's body nor the flight data recorder have been found.
The state-of-the-art fighter jet went missing on 9 April while flying 135km (85 miles) east of Misawa, northeastern Japan, on a training mission. The plane lost contact about 30 minutes after taking off from Misawa Air Base with three other aircraft.
It was the first reported crash by an F35-A, according to Japan's Air Self-Defence Force.
Japan is deploying F35-As, each of which costs more than ¥10 billion ($90 million), to replace its ageing F-4 fighters. They are a key part of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's efforts to upgrade the nation's military capacity to meet changing power dynamics in East Asia, with China rapidly modernising its military.
More from Defence Notes
-
How UAE defence giant EDGE Group plans to double its exports
The UAE defence conglomerate has put an aggressive strategy in place to increase its share of exports while navigating the growing gap between East and West.
-
US lawmakers warn that “more military spending is absolutely necessary” to ensure Pentagon’s readiness
The US Congress has raised concerns about how inflation rates and cuts in main acquisition programmes could affect the US military.
-
Can the US overcome Russian and Chinese nuclear capabilities?
Washington’s ageing inventory and the pace Moscow and Beijing have been modernising their capabilities put in check the US Nuclear deterrence.
-
US FY2024 funding package passes as China closes military capability gap
The Pentagon has been operating under temporary funding since October 2023, which has impacted its main acquisition and development programmes, increasing the capability gap between the US and China.
-
NATO outlines future challenges as Ukrainian funding from US stalls
In 2023, defence spending increased by an unprecedented 11% across European NATO countries and Canada. Since 2014, the group has spent an additional US$600 billion on defence.
-
US Pentagon to reduce investments in main acquisition programmes over FY2025
The DoD requested nearly US$850 billion to fund operations over the next fiscal year. Despite the amount being 1% higher than the FY2024 budget request, it has not covered the 3% inflation rate, which could impact the DoD’s main programmes in the medium and long term.