Those arent quite the same though. Iirc most parts of the F-2 are different from the F-16.
Mitsubishi used the existing F-16 design as a reference guide for design work, and more than 95% of F-16 engineering drawings are changed for F-2.[24][25]
Whilst they maintain similarities and the F-2 is certainly a variant of the F-16 the modifications I beleive were more extensive than either the F-15 or F-4 were from waht I understand (though not an expert on Japanese aircraft, so take that with a pinch of salt)
By far, EJ Kai was mostly the new radar, F-15J(M) literally just a license made MSIP with very slightly different engines and some electronics swapped with japanese ones. F-2 a full airframe overhaul, new weapons, and radar.
AESA fear doesn’t make sense from a capability standpoint, as the AAM-4 still only has a PD seeker. It’s probably that Gaijin just wants another Apex Predators/Air Superiority/Seek and Destroy, where a bunch of them are added at the same time.
fear is usually irrational. People hear “AESA” and assume its gunna be OP. If Japan got a “AESA equipped F-16*” then suddenly everyone would be demanding the same upgrade and it would become a mess pretty quickly. Also, I reckon they havent figured out how to model it yet. Look at PESA and people moaning about that
Look at the 229 for F-15E even. Forgetting that the US already has the F-16C for CAS, the F-15E doesn’t even need the engines to do its job. It’s just now going to be the best F-15 the US has (and best F-15 in general). Though I’d argue that Gaijin should give the US their F-15E with AESA radar and call it a day since Su-34 comes with its PESA.
Yes, but kinda the point. I cant think of a better test bed for AESA Beta Testing than a Heli, especially if we predict the F-2 in 6 weeks in the December update.
F-2 probably otherwise could have come last december without much issue
