Next Major Update - Rumor Round-Up & Discussion (Part 1)

[quartas121]

friendly aircraft would be pretty easy, and a top down view of enemy RWR contacts implies fairly accurate ranging off of just RWR which is good

[Nagisei]

I feel like committing a “crime”, that being getting to top tier air USA to put Japanese roundels on the F-22

I have a feeling @quartas121 would not approve…

[NoRespawnsNeeded-psn]

Lol

[quartas121]

F-2 pro max

[NoRespawnsNeeded-psn]

What in the actual…

[Nagisei]

JASDF blue is just such a good paintjob

[quartas121]

yeah it does look nice. Gunship Gray (F-15E) is my favorite, they shouldve painted the raptors like that

[Morvran]

No, clearly thats the F-22AJ

[quartas121]

wasnt there almost a 2nd F-2 type program based off the YF-23 that never went anywhere?

[Morvran]

No idea

[Xermaz]

i don’t think there’s any Japanese prototype based of the YF-23
though there is a pretty similar rendering prototype and a fuselage that looks like the F-22

F-X 26DMU

@MAUSWAFFE

The final iteration of 5th gen F-X, and the place where all the prototyped technologies converge. The engines, radar, TVC and even main weapons bay converge in this design.
However it was also changed quite a lot, sporting a more conventional trapezoidal wing, non-angled elevators and side weapons bays set in the fuselage akin to an F-22.
It’s also commonly featured in this cool blue camo, which is a very unique and interesting choice.

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The prototype here is significantly more vehicle specific, being the center fuselage of the aircraft (note the side weapons bays).

A radar and “stealth” radome was also developed for either 25DMU or 26DMU (it would’ve been the same either way) but since I don’t know when exactly that slots in so I’ll just mention it here to be safe.
Maybe since it’s all one (somewhat) linear development of the same project up to 26DMU, chances are only 26DMU counts as the final version of 5th gen F-X anyways.

This alongside the fact that all of the previous components like XF9-1 engines, XVN3-1 3D TVC and main weapons bay remained unchanged for 26DMU might just make this the only viable 5th gen F-X option for the game.

[quartas121]

YF-23 one was not a prototype, just a proposal

[Surbaissemaxxing]

It’s an unfinished proto with lots of stuff built. Pretty sure someone has suggested it, or is pending

[quartas121]

i mean the YF-23 one, shouldve been clearer

[Xermaz]

oh yeah saw that convo. pretty much just a proposal i think? haven’t seen anything more after that last December.

[WaffleStomp0768-live]

Why does driving the RDF/LT feel like I’m driving a boat?

[MAUSWAFFE]

@quartas121

wasnt there almost a 2nd F-2 type program based off the YF-23 that never went anywhere?

Both YF-23 and F/B-22 were proposed for the project, but neither of them was accepted in favor of a full joint development with Britain and Italy in GCAP. Both of tgese proposals were also basing it on an existing design with very limited Japanese input, like Lockheeds idea of “F/B-22 with Japanese engines (optional)”, so that may have been a part of why they were rejected.

I still remember when they were proposed and we had news outlets saying “Japans new fighter will revive the F-23” or “Japans new F-22 / F-35 hybrid fighter”, just because of these proposals.

[NCC105]

it’s a unfinished improvement. F-35’s weapon cabin is build around 2000lb bombs, so usually wastes lots of spaces when using missiles, the improvement is about changing pylons to allow it have 6 missiles in cabin.

[Columbia6448]

That’s what I figured and why I said it was only renders

[長門]

@MAUSWAFFE

neither of them was accepted in favor of a full joint development with Britain and Italy in GCAP.

I can’t wait for the project to inevitably fall through and Japan ends up buying F-47s.