Mitsubishi F-15J

The F-15J was introduced into the Air Self-Defense Force in Japan, manufactured and licensed with the MHI as the primary contractor. Originally designed as the U.S Air Force Fighter strictly for air-to-air use, the F-15 Eagle aircraft has become a family with multiple mission variants, upgrades and export versions. It was developed by McDonell Douglas with it's first flight in 1972. Beginning in 1981 there has been a total of 199 units, including the F-15DJ's manufactured and delivered to the Air Self-Defense Force in Japan.

The Mitsubishi F-15J or DJ Eagle is a twin-engine, all weather interceptor fighter that was produced under license with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. Other than combat, the F-15DJ is also used for training while the F-15 Kai is the mordernized version of the F-15J.

The F-15J is identical to the F-15C/Ds aside from EMC, radar warning system and nuclear equipment. The engine is Pratt and Whitney F100 turbofan which IHI Corporation produced under license.The F-15J have been equipped with the Japanese built AAM-3 missile. Improvements included an up-rated central computer, engines, armament control set and added J/APQ-1 countermeasure set.

Variants

• F-15J  - single seat fighter version of JASDF. 139 built under license in Japan by Mitsubishi 1981-1997, two built-in St.Louis.
• F-15DJ - two seat training version of the JASDF. 12 built-in St.Louis, and 25 built under license in Japan by Mitsubishi during 1981-1997
• F-15J Kai - the F-15Js that have been modernized for the JASDF. There is no official name for this particular variant but it has been referred to as the F-15 Kai (Kai means 'modified') by the Japanese media. 

SPECIFICATIONS:  
General characteristics

• Crew: 1: pilot
• Length: 63 ft 9 in (19.43 m)
• Wingspan: 42 ft 10 in (13.05 m)
• Height: 18 ft 6 in (5.63 m)
• Wing area: 608 ft² (56.5 m²)
• Empty weight: 28,000 lb (12,700 kg)
• Loaded weight: 44,500 lb (20,200 kg)
• Max. takeoff weight: 68,000 lb (30,845 kg)
• Engine: 2 × Pratt & Whitney F100-100 or -220 after-burning turbofans 
• Dry thrust: 17,450 lbf (77.62 kN) each
• Thrust with afterburner: 25,000 lbf for −220 (111.2 kN for −220) each
• Fuel capacity: 13,455 lb (6,100 kg) internal

Performance

• Maximum speed: High altitude: Mach 2.5+ (1,650+ mph, 2,660+ km/h) | Low altitude : Mach 1.2 (900 mph, 1,450 km/h)
• Service ceiling: 65,000 ft (20,000 m)
• Rate of climb: >50,000 ft/min (254 m/s)
• Wing loading: 73.1 lb/ft² (358 kg/m²)
• Thrust/weight: 1.12 (−220)

Armament

• Guns: 1× 20 mm M61 Vulcan
• Hard-points: provisions to carry combinations of: | Missiles : 1) Mitsubishi AAM-3 2) Mitsubishi AAM-4 3) Mitsubishi AAM-5 4) AIM-9 Sidewinder 5) AIM-7 Sparrow | Other : Mk 82 General Purpose Bomb, CBU-87 Cluster bomb