Japan's F-2s Touch Down in India: A Strategic Move with Far-Reaching Implications

Japan's F-2s Touch Down in India: A Strategic Move with Far-Reaching Implications

The Indian Air Force (IAF) is set to host a significant exercise next month, Veer Guardian 26, which will see the arrival of Japan's F-2 fighters on Indian soil for the first time. This is not just a routine exercise, but a strategic move that has far-reaching implications for the region. The F-2 fighters, developed by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Lockheed Martin, are Japan's frontline multirole fighter jets, and their deployment to India is a significant development in the country's military cooperation with India.

A Complex Logistics Operation

The deployment of the F-2 fighters to India is a complex logistics operation that requires careful planning and coordination. The Japanese Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) personnel, including 110 personnel, will be flying with the F-2 fighters, which will cover a distance of approximately 5,600 kilometers from Tsuiki Air Base, Fukuoka to Jodhpur. The US Air Force will provide aerial refueling assistance along the way, but the exact location of the refueling site has not been announced.

A Strategic Move with Far-Reaching Implications

The real interest lies in the technology, particularly the PL-15E missiles fired by Pakistan's J-10C and Su-30MKI fighter jets last year. India's electronic warfare suites disrupted the missiles' guidance systems, causing targeting errors and a series of close calls. Now, Japan is sending its frontline multirole fighter to India, and the implications are significant. The exercise is described as simple air combat training, but the interest of the IAF in Japan now is deeper than the normal exercise of interoperability and is directly linked to what went wrong over the airspace of Pakistan and PoK in May last year.

DRDO's Research and Development

The DRDO has reportedly brought a few of the retrieved PL-15E missiles to study in detail, with a particular emphasis on the AESA seeker architecture and the on-board guidance software. This is the sort of intelligence that not only informs India's own EW roadmap, it's golden when it comes to countering the next generation of BVR missiles from China, which are set to target Pakistan, if not anyone China arms. Japan wants to be a part of that discussion and for good reason. Tokyo is more vigilant and attuned to Chinese military technology than just about anywhere else is, and the PLA Air Force has been steadily upgrading over the years, while there have been standoffs in the East China Sea.

A Real Combat Experience

That is a real combat experience with Chinese AESA guided missiles engaging real jamming and it's coming from a country that has just had that experience and Japan isn't going to miss out. Colleagues from various countries were by then already quite interested in the wreckage of the missile, with radar and EW specialists from Japan as some of the first outside experts to be granted access. The world is watching as Veer Guardian 26 unfolds, and the stakes are higher than ever.

Key Takeaways

• Japan's F-2 fighters will touch down in Rajasthan for Veer Guardian 26, marking the first time Japanese jets have landed on Indian soil.
• The deployment of the F-2 fighters is a strategic move with far-reaching implications for the region.
• The US Air Force will provide aerial refueling assistance along the way, but the exact location of the refueling site has not been announced.
• The exercise is described as simple air combat training, but the interest of the IAF in Japan now is deeper than the normal exercise of interoperability and is directly linked to what went wrong over the airspace of Pakistan and PoK in May last year.
• Japan wants to be a part of the discussion on countering the next generation of BVR missiles from China, which are set to target Pakistan, if not anyone China arms.