The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) announced on December 30 that it had awarded Boeing a $471.3 million foreign arms sales (FMS) contract to launch the F-15 Japan Super Interceptor (JSI) program for the Japan Air Self-Defense Force. Japan Air Self-Defense Force).
According to the Ministry of Defense, the agreement provides for the design and development of an integrated aircraft system to support the modification of JASDF’s F-15J aircraft and the development, testing and delivery of four weapon system trainers. The work will be carried out by Boeing in St. Louis, Missouri, and is expected to be completed on December 31, 2028.
In October 2019, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) announced that the JSI modification work (which may be worth up to US$4.5 billion) will allow 98 single-seater F-15J aircraft to be equipped with Raytheon AN/APG-82(V)1. Source Electronic Scanning Array (AESA) radar, Honeywell Advanced Display Core Processor II (ADCP II) mission computer, and BAE Systems AN/ALQ-239 Digital Electronic Warfare System (DEWS). Other enhancements include new aircraft radios and anti-spoofing GPS systems.
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) was earlier selected as the main contractor for the direct commercial sales (DCS) portion of the transaction, and Boeing was a subcontractor supporting the integration of FMS and DCS elements.
The DCS agreement announced by Boeing in July 2020 will enable Boeing to provide MHI with modification drawings, technical publications, and ground support equipment for upgrading the first two F-15J aircraft to the F-15JSI configuration. MHI will be responsible for formulating a detailed transformation plan and equipping the necessary infrastructure and skilled labor for the upgrade work starting in 2022.
Many of these upgrades are comparable to those developed under Boeing’s “Advanced Eagle” program, which resulted in Qatar’s F-15QA, Saudi Arabia’s F-15SA, and the United States’ F-15EX platform. “
Xiao Wu
