Japan plans to purchase over 20 additional Lockheed Martin-built (NYSE: LMT) F-35A fighter jets from the U.S. in the next six years, Reuters reported Tuesday.
Sources said the East Asian country may directly procure F-35A conventional takeoff and landing variant from the U.S. for approximately $100 million each through a transaction that could potentially generate about $30 million in savings per airframe.
œIn view of budgets and production schedules a new acquisition of around 25 planes is appropriate, one of the sources told the publication.
The Japanese air self defense force initially ordered 42 F-35As that are being produced at a Mitsubishi Heavy Industries-run final assembly and check out facility in Japan.
The Japanese military plans to field the first F-35A aircraft of the fleet to Misawa Air Base in northern Japan and considers procuring the F-35B vertical takeoff and landing variant, the report added.
œWe have not yet made any plan and we are evaluating what fighter aircraft we need, Itsunori Onodera, Japan™s defense minister, said Tuesday at a news briefing.
