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World Aviation Defense & Security News - Japan
 
 
Japan officially selects V-22 Osprey, RQ-4 Global Hawk drone and E-2D Hawkeye AEW&C aircraft
 
Japanese Ministry of Defense has officially announced on Friday, November 21, selection of the Boeing's V-22 Osprey for its military tilt-rotor requirement, as well as the Northrop Grumman's Global Hawk unmanned surveillance system and E-2D Hawkeye command and control aircraft.
     
Japanese Ministry of Defense has officially announced on Friday, November 21, selection of the Boeing's V-22 Osprey for its military tilt-rotor requirement, as well as the Northrop Grumman's Global Hawk unmanned surveillance system and E-2D Hawkeye command and control aircraft. Bell-Boeing V-22 Osprey Multirole Tiltrotor Aircraft
     
"The Bell Boeing team is honored the Japanese Ministry of Defense has selected the V-22 Osprey to support its operational requirements, and we’ll continue to work with the U.S. government on the foreign military sale," said Boeing spokeswoman Caroline Hutcheson. She gave no details on the size of the expected order.

Japan's defense ministry announced the decision on its website on Friday after a budget document released in August requested funds for tilt-rotor aircraft.

At the time, according to Reuters, sources familiar with the program said Japan was interested in 20 to 40 V-22s.

The Japanese MoD also desired a high-altitude ISR asset and selected the Global Hawk, designed by Northrop Grumman and currently in use by the US Air Force. It beat out the Guardian ER design by General Atomics.

Northrop also won with its E-2D Hawkeye aircraft, beating out Boeing’s 737 AEW&C design for the right to supply command and control assets to Japan.

(Source: Reuters)