Japan
The security alliance between Japan and the United States has been a cornerstone of peace and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region for generations. Playing a part in that alliance and working in partnership with local businesses, Lockheed Martin delivers cutting-edge technologies and innovations to support the future prosperity of Japan and its communities. Working with our Japanese partners, we are committed to partnering with industry to shape best-value solutions that deliver low-risk, proven capability with high levels of local content, technology transfer and workshare. Examples include:
- F-35: With the Final Assembly and Checkout Facility (FACO) in Nagoya now complete, Japan’s F-35 aircraft are being assembled and delivered in Japan.
- Helicopters: Commercial and military helicopters are provided by Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company, and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (三菱重工) in partnership for the last 65 years. More than 550 military helicopters have been produced for the Japan Self-Defense Forces under manufacturing license agreements with Sikorsky.
- Combat Systems: The Aegis Combat System has provided advanced sea, air and undersea threat detection capabilities to Japan’s Kongo- and Atago-class ships for the last 25 years – with more opportunities to come in the future.
Products and Capabilities for Japan
F-35 Lightning II
The Multi-variant, Multirole 5th Generation Fighter
The F-35 Lightning II is a 5th Generation fighter, combining advanced stealth with fighter speed and agility, fully fused sensor information, network-enabled operations and advanced sustainment. Three variants of the F-35 will replace the A-10 and F-16 for the U.S. Air Force, the F/A-18 for the U.S. Navy, the F/A-18 and AV-8B Harrier for the U.S. Marine Corps, and a variety of fighters for at least ten other countries.
The Lightning II is a single-seat, single-engine fighter aircraft designed for many missions with advanced, integrated sensors built into every aircraft. Missions that were traditionally performed by small numbers of specialized aircraft, such as intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance and electronic attack missions can now be executed by a squadron of F-35s, bringing new capabilities to many allied forces.
The F-35 is developed, produced, and supported by an international team of leading aerospace companies. As the prime contractor, Lockheed Martin continues its 100-year history of aircraft research and design with the Lightning II. Principal partners Northrop Grumman and BAE Systems build the center and aft fuselages, respectively. Northrop Grumman also brings its expertise in carrier aircraft and low-observable stealth technology to the F-35 program and supports logistics, sustainment, modeling and simulation and mission planning. BAE Systems contributes a rich heritage of capabilities, including short takeoff and vertical landing experience, advanced lean manufacturing, flight testing and air systems sustainment. Pratt & Whitney builds the F-35's F135 propulsion system, the world's most powerful fighter engine.
Black Hawk
Today’s operational aircraft for Japan include the UH-60J and UH-60JA fleets, which are based on Sikorsky’s S-70 Black Hawk. The UH-60J is used primarily for search and rescue, while the UH-60JA variant is employed for utility missions.
Sea Hawk®
Armed Black Hawk
The aircraft that’s made for any mission just got even more versatile. For security and battlefield support, the Black Hawk helicopter can now be outfitted with an advanced weapon system. In short, it simplifies the complex task of placing rounds onto a target by calculating the complex ballistics required for effective airborne gunnery. The installable armed kit is designed to boost any Black Hawk’s combat capabilities, at half the cost per flight hour compared to a dedicated heavy attack helicopter.
AEGIS
Aegis provides four of Japan’s Kongo-class destroyers and two Atago-class destroyers with advanced sea, air and undersea threat detection capabilities.
Lockheed Martin’s STEM Education Program in Japan
Lockheed Martin sees education as a crucial investment for both business and society, and will continue working closely with our partners to enhance the collaboration between industry and educators to advance STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education in Japan.
Lockheed Martin provides sponsorship to the biannual National Model Rocketry Competitions as well as the Rocket Koshien, which feeds into the International Rocketry Challenge. It also provides three educational awards for the best female team at each of these events.
The Girls’ Rocketry Challenge, which launched in October 2016, aims to encourage female students to explore their curiosity in the STEM field, utilising model rocketry for a hands-on approach to scientific experimentation and practical application of theoretical knowledge outside of the classroom. The Girls’ Rocketry Challenge has expanded its reach from the Kanto region of Japan in the first cycle, to now include schools nationwide.
The program is run in partnership with the Japan Association of Rocketry, a non-profit organization that sets the industry standard for model rocketry in Japan with the support of Leave a Nest, a science education company that also runs workshops on model rocketry. In 2018, the program also welcomed Chiba Institute of Technology as a supporter, enabling GRC participants to receive further guidance in their learning journey in rocket science.