Mitsubishi X-2 ATD-X Shinshin Demonstrator

[Just call me Ray]

Wow, I am really bad at judging scale I guess.

 

[Deino]

Seems as a set-back !!

Japan cuts back funds for ATD-X steath demonstrator
By Seiji Hirokawa

Japan's plans to build a stealth fighter demonstrator have been set back after funding for the project was cut in the fiscal year 2008 defence budget. The Mitsubishi ATD-X project has been allocated ¥7 billion ($66 million) of the ¥49.9 billion requested by the Technical Research and Development Institute (TRDI).

The plan to build and fly a small stealth demonstrator was approved in 2007 after the USA made it clear it would not release the Lockheed Martin F-22 for export to Japan to meet its F-X fighter requirement. FY2008 funding will allow design and technology work to continue, but construction of the demonstrator has been postponed.

Similar in size to the Saab Gripen, the ATD-X will be powered by a pair of IHI XF5 afterburning, thrust-vectoring engines derived from the XF7 turbofan powering Japan's Kawasaki XP-1 maritime patrol aircraft, now in flight testing.

Japan's FY2008 defence budget cuts funding for aviation-related projects by 2% to ¥215 billion, and includes the purchase of just 26 aircraft - 17 for the navy, six for the army and only three for the air force.

The navy gets the first four P-1 patrol aircraft and three Kawaski/AgustaWestland MCH-101 mine-countermeasures helicopters, but a single ShinMaywa US-2 search-and-rescue amphibian and two Mitsubishi/Sikorsky SH-60K helicopters have been cut.

The army gets two Kawaski OH-1 scout helicopters, but funding for a single Fuji/Boeing AH-64D attack helicopter was cut. Funds are provided for the first TH-X training helicopter, but a choice between the AgustaWestland AW109 and Eurocopter EC135 - expected at the end of 2008 - has not been made.

Source: http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2008/02/01/221236/japan-cuts-back-funds-for-atd-x-steath-demonstrator.html

 

[avatar]

methinks this stealth demonstrator has probably "demonstrated enough" to those concerned and was always a proof of concept give me your raptor/ 6th gen/ et etc exercise. Of course whether the raptor is coming is another question altogether.

 

[blackkite]

Hi! There is a exhibition of Japanese stealth fighter RCS measuring model in AEROSPACE JAPAN 2008.I asked to the engineer why this model has so big canopy. His answer was 'This canopy is appropriation of Mitsubishi F1 fighter'. Sorry for low quality. Photography forbidden this model.


RCS measuring model is called Shinshin(ATD-X). Advanced Technological Demonstrator -X.
1.Length : 14m
2.Wing span : 10m
3.MTOW : 8ton
4.Engine : two XF5-1 afterburning turbofan engine 5ton thrust each
5.First flight will be 2011.(Not prototype of real stealth fighter,it is only demonstrator.)

 

[Deino]

Here are more of this model posted at the Key-forum:

http://response.jp/issue/2008/1003/article114568_1.images/195176.html
http://response.jp/issue/2008/1003/article114568_1.html

1:1 RCS test model of 5th generation stealth fighter Shinshin, now in the Japan International Aerospace Exhibition 2008, at Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture.

Deino

 

[blackkite]

Socond picture.

 

[blackkite]

Many thanks Deino! I want to take such pictures.

 

[airman]

the history learn that from studies of various projects born a new aircraft for production : i am curious to see next japanese fighter of 21 century ready for production !

 

[Trident]

More news on the ATD-X, or its engine, to be more precise:

http://www.zinio.com/express3?issue=315864767&p=27

Important points:
- contains a pic of the XF5-1 exhibit at Japan Aerospace, so blackkite needn't worry any longer
- the XF5-1 apparently shares the same engine core with the XF7-10 used on the P-X.
- a notional, combat-capable variant of ATD-X would use scaled-up 10-ton class engines.

So much for the concerns about its size, a production airframe would be more like a Super Hornet going by this.

 

[Orionblamblam]

Sorry for low quality. Photography forbidden this model.

Putting somethign on public display that you don't want people taking photos of? That's just *stupid.*

Especially in Japan. I hate to use stereotypes, but wherever I've gone in the US and met Japanese tourists, they've lived up to the "shutterbug" stereotype. I don't imagine it'd be any different in Japan proper.

 

[ryusuke]

Hi all,

I would like to post the additional information of the real Japanese stealth from Japanese Wikipedia:

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
This ATD-X was named "心神" (Shin shin) meaning "Spiritual God or the God of Mind." In the spring of 2006, the unmanned 1/5 scale model (presumed size of 3 m length, 2 m width and 45 kg weight) had a first flight. 4 of these models were manufactured, and showed to the mass communication on September 11th, 2007.
They had 40 test flights in Hokkaido until November 2007.
Ministry of Defense planned the start of development in 2008 and five years of development for the first flight, with the budget of 15.7 billion yen (157 million dollar) for the 2008 fiscal year. They showed the development plan on December 5, 2007. By the plan, its development continues fro 6 years including the flight tests. The total budget fro the development will be 46.6 billion yen (466 million dollar). The first flight will be in 2011.

The fuselage will be manufactured by new composite material, and the aircraft will have stealth technology and high agility flight control system. For the flight control system, it will have FBL (Fly by light) system developed by Kawasaki Heavy Industries. It will also have the future avionics, the multi-purpose RF sensor consists of advanced phased array radar with ECM, and the thin Radar Smart Skin Sensor attached to the fuselage surface. The power plant will be two of the newly developed XF5-1 (approx. 5 t hp using afterburner) with newly developed Paddle style thrust vectoring system.
From the RCS tests, the aircraft will be shown on the radar as smaller than a medium-size bird, but larger than a bug.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

FYI
Ryusuke

 

[blackkite]

Japanese air self defence force only hope to get F-22.(Not F-35 AND SHINSHIN.)

 

[Rickshaw]

Not sure if this has been posted before. Video of the Japanese stealth project which was posted at the start of the thread:

Mod edit: video was deleted from youtube

 

[mz]

Thanks, seems so F-15-like on the outside. And the old fashioned X-31 style TVC? Do they really intend to put something like that or is that just for proving maneuverablitity?
Anybody notice something was blurred in the F-4 footage?

 

[Grey Havoc]

Yes. Experimental store, or just some bureaucrats idea of not apearing 'too warlike'?

 

[Triton]

Fuji Television news report concerning Mitsubishi ATD-X Shinshin found on YouTube mentioned by Flight Global.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g94C5CNIPOQ&feature=player_embedded


Source: http://www.flightglobal.com/blogs/asian-skies/2010/05/japans-new-atd-x-technology-de.html

 

[Triton]

Research of Flight Control System for High Maneuver Aircraft
URL: http://www.mhi.co.jp/technology/review/pdf/454/454058.pdf

 

[Stargazer]

Pics of the ATD-X "Shinshin" stealth UAV fighter from Japan:

 

[Jemiba]

UAV? Is HE sitting at the controls under the canopy, without Luke ?

 

[Stargazer]

??? ??? ??? Oops! Sorry! What did I have in mind when I typed THAT??? :

 

[mithril]

Sorry not ... that's all I have about this project and I was quite surprised that this pic has been released as yet !

I have some models of older Japanese projects like configurations under study for an indigenous FSX and a follow on replacement for the F-15J !

i wondered where the Battle Fairy Yukikaze anime's F/A-27C came from.

 

[InvisibleDefender]

in the press yesterday:

"...Japan is looking to join the United States, China and Russia with a stealth fighter that senior Japanese air force officials say can be ready for a prototype test flight in just three years, significantly upping the ante in the intensifying battle for air superiority in the Pacific.

The prototype will likely be able to fly in 2014, Lt. Gen. Hideyuki Yoshioka, director of air systems development at Japan's Ministry of Defense, said in an interview with The Associated Press.

He said Japan has put 39 billion yen ($473 million) into the project since 2009, after it became clear the United States was not likely to sell it the F-22 "Raptor" - America's most advanced fighter jet - because of a congressional export ban.

"We are two years into the project, and we are on schedule," Yoshioka said Monday.

Yoshioka stressed that a successful test flight of the prototype, dubbed "Shinshin," or "Spirit," does not mean Japan will immediately start producing stealth aircraft. The prototype is designed to test advanced technologies, and if it is successful the government will decide in 2016 how to proceed...."

from: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2014429209_apasjapanstealthfighter.html

 

[royabulgaf]

I know Turkey is sniffing around such a project also.

 

[chuck4]

So is South Korea, and Indonesia is interested in participating. Japan, maybe. But it seems unlikely that countries like South Korea or Turkey with relatively modest aerospace experience could get 5th generation fighter project off the ground without massive design, manufacturing, equipment and program management assistance from abroad.

 

[Matej]

Turkey is already the Level 3 partner in the JSF program, but I am expecting difficulties especially with the technology transfers. Korea already abandoned the idea of the 5th generation and now they are concentrating on the 4,5 generation (literally modern and "cheap" fighter). I am just wondering, if the South Korea and Japan would like to cooperate in the time, when the Japan will relax its jurisdiction regarding the weapons.

 

[chuck4]

It's not clear how much Korea can bring to any joint Japan-Korea G5 fighter project. Japan's overall industrial and technological base is very strong, probably second only to the US in the world. Japan has had recent aircraft program management experience and foreign technology integration experience with the F-2, she manufactures F110 engine and F-15 under license, so she has as strong a national base for a G5 fighter as any country outside US and Russia. Korea hasn't anything close.

The bad blood between Japan and Korea and the sometimes exaggerated national pride of South Korea would make cooporation difficult at best. For Japan I think only the willingness to fund the project stands in the way of the G5 fighter.

 

[bagera3005]

Mitsubishi ATD-X Shinshin

 

[Grey Havoc]

Matej, by any chance do you know what the FX (or SX?) designation for that F/A-18 derivative was? And which company carried out that particular study? Mitsubishi again?

 

[Triton]

From Flight Global:

Tokyo has reaffirmed its plan for a 2014 first flight of its experimental Mitsubishi ATD-X Shinshin stealth demonstrator, while it also considers three fighters for its F-X requirement.

"The first flight of the ATD-X is scheduled in Japan fiscal year 2014," said Japan's defence ministry.

"The ATD-X is a trial product of a high-manoeuvrability stealth aircraft adopting various state-of-the-art technologies that may be applied to future fighters, and confirm and verify the practicality and operational effectiveness of systems under various flight conditions," said the ministry. "It is also intended for the study of air defence against stealth fighters that might be deployed in the neighbouring region in the future."

Source:
http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2011/06/30/359002/first-flight-of-japanese-atd-x-likely-in-2014.html

 

[Triton]

Photographs of full-scale RCS test model of Mitsubishi ATD-X Shinshin on display at Japan Aerospace 2008.

Source:
http://ascii.jp/elem/000/000/176/176559/index-2.html

 

[Machdiamond]

Come on, have you not seen the "no photo" sign?
:
--Luc

 

[Triton]

Source:
http://dcn.or.kr/a1/58265

 

[Triton]

Photographs of one-fifth-scale radio-controlled flight test model of ATD-X.

Sources:
http://kairu131.blog96.fc2.com/blog-entry-147.html
http://blog.sina.com.cn/s/blog_5f6ff8c90100cfly.html

 

[Triton]

IHI XF5-1 jet engine


Source:
http://defenceforumindia.com/defence-industry/5097-kaveri-engine-developments-kaveri-passess-critical-tests-31.html

 

[Triton]

Internal arrangement of Mitsubishi ATD-X Shinshin.

Inboard profile of Mitsubishi ATD-X Shinshin.

Released by the Technical Research Development Institute (TRDI) of the Japanese Ministry of Defense.


Source:
http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/blogs/defense/index.jsp?plckController=Blog&plckScript=blogscript&plckElementId=blogDest&plckBlogPage=BlogViewPost&plckPostId=Blog%3A27ec4a53-dcc8-42d0-bd3a-01329aef79a7Post%3Abe4908c7-8ddc-48f9-a951-a24c28b9629b

http://www.ccthere.com/article/3270460

 

[Triton]

Model of Mitsubishi ATD-X Shinshin on display at Technical Research & Development Institute function held on November 9-10, 2010.

Source:
http://tokyotanpo.info/shinjukuku/20101110/10gihon024.jpg
http://tokyotanpo.info/shinjukuku/20101110/10gihon025.jpg
http://tokyotanpo.info/shinjukuku/20101110/10gihon026.jpg
http://tokyotanpo.info/shinjukuku/20101110/10gihon027.jpg
http://tokyotanpo.info/shinjukuku/20101110/10gihon028.jpg

 

[Deino]

Here's an interesting CG of a ADT-development myde by Bai Wei

http://blog.sina.com.cn/s/blog_5f6ff8c90100vejh.html

Deino

 

[Stargazer]

I hope the Shinshin becomes a reality. It's a cool design. I'm especially fond of the exhausts!

Doesn't "shin" mean "new"? ??? Does that make the ATD-X a "new-new" aircraft?!?

CG art in previous post is amazing!

 

[InvisibleDefender]

I hope the Shinshin becomes a reality. It's a cool design. I'm especially fond of the exhausts!

Doesn't "shin" mean "new"? ??? Does that make the ATD-X a "new-new" aircraft?!?

CG art in previous post is amazing!

Why are you fond of the exhaust? Paddles? Really? ... You'd think the Japanese could come up with a nice axisymmetric thrust vectoring concept.

 

[Matej]

Matej, by any chance do you know what the FX (or SX?) designation for that F/A-18 derivative was? And which company carried out that particular study? Mitsubishi again?

Unfortunately I don't know. It is always referred as the "F-18 derivative".