During the 1980s General Dynamics, the developer of the F-16, proposed another
version of the F-16 called the F-16 Agile Falcon. The US military opted not to get
involved because they were busy upgrading their present fleet as well as developing
the new F-22/JSF. Japan had decided to purchase the F-16 to replace its aging F-1
aircraft but then decided to develop the F-16 Agile Falcon concept. The new aircraft for
the JASDF (Japan Air Self Defense Force) would be the F-2 and manufactured with a
60/40 split between Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Lockheed Martin. Lockheed Martin
bought General Dynamics in 1993. Production started in 1996 with the first aircraft being
delivered in 2000. 94 of the F-2 aircraft are scheduled to be manufactured. It might look
like an F-16 but the Mitsubishi F-2 is a completely new fighter. The general shape may
say F-16 and a few things that the F-2 and the F-16 have common are the engine,
landing gear, air intake door and the 20 mm gun. But the F-2 has a longer and wider
nose to accommodate phased-array radar with 25% larger wing. It is made from a
composite material to reduce weight and radar signature, a larger tail plane and larger
air intake. The pilot canopy is a stronger three-piece construction. The F-2 is equipped
with a drogue chute just like the NATO version of the F-16. The single seat fighter is the
F-2A while the two seat version (F-2B) is a trainer that is fully combat capable.

The J.A.S.D.F 8th SQ, 3rd AW and their Mitsubishi F-2 aircraft are stationed at Misawa
Air Base, Aomori Prefecture, Honshu and is one of two Japanese squadrons stationed
there. The squadron is known as the “Black Panthers”. Misawa Air base was built in
1938 and is the only joint service installation in the western Pacific region for both
Japanese and American military services. It is home to more than 20,000 American and
Japanese military personnel and their families. Misawa is also the headquarters for the
JASDF Northern Air Defense Force.

Specifications Mitsubishi F-2A & F-2B

Nickname - Viper Zero

Designation
F-2A - Single-seat Multi-role fighter
F-2B - Two-seat training version, fully combat capable

Performance
Powerplant: (1) General Electric F110-GE-129 turbofan
Dry thrust - 76 kN (17,000 lbf)
Thrust with afterburner - 131 kN (29,500 lbf)
Maximum speed - Mach 2.0
Range - 520 miles   (834 km) on anti-ship mission
Service ceiling - 59,000 ft   (18,000 m)

Dimensions
Length - 50 ft 11 in   (15.52 m)
Wingspan - 36 ft 6 in   (11.13 m)
Height - 15 ft 5 in   (4.69 m)
Wing area - 375 ft²   (34.84 m²)

Weights
Empty - 21,000 lb   (9,527 kg)
Loaded - 33,000 lb   (15,000 kg)
Max takeoff - 48,700 lb   (22,100 kg)

Armament
(1) 20 mm JM61A1 cannon
Capable of carrying up to 17,820 lb   (8,085 kg) weapon load on 11 hard points. They
are located - #1 and #11 at the wing tips, #2-5 and #7-10 under the wings, and #6 under
the fuselage.
Possible Weapons
Air-to-air - AIM-9 Sidewinder, AIM-7 Sparrow, Mitsubishi AAM-3, Mitsubishi AAM-4
Air-to-ground - ASM-1 and ASM-2 anti-ship missiles.
Various free-fall bombs with GCS-1 IIR seeker heads, Mk 82 and JM177 bombs
CBU-87, JDAM and JLAU-3/A or RL-4 rocket pods.
Others - J/AAQ-2 FLIR

Avionics
Mitsubishi Active Electronically Scanned Array radar system including J/APG-1.
Some differences between the F-2 and the F-16
F-2 has a 25% larger wing area.
F-2 is manufactured using composite materials to reduce overall weight and radar
signature.
F-2 is longer and wider nose to accommodate phased-array radar.
F-2 has a larger tail-plane.
F-2 has a larger air intake.
F-2 has a three-piece cockpit canopy.
F-2 is equipped with a drogue parachute.

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