• John B. Morgen

    The Japanese should have added a 60,000 ton+ aircraft carrier, so it could operated the E-2D Hawkeyes, and maybe the Japanese could lease some F/A-18s from us. This move would help Japan’s ability to project sea power into crisis areas where conflict with China’s PLAN is most likely to occur.

    • Curtis Conway

      If the Japanese would invest in the AEW&C V-22 then everyone would have a solution for their VSTOL/STOVL platforms. Now I could piggyback on that one.
      The E-2D Combat System installed in the V-22 with an AESA radar on top, now there is an idea. It’s not easy but it can be done. Solves problems for a half dozen free world navies around the planet.

      • John B. Morgen

        I’m sorry to say it wouldn’t work on the existing V-22 airframe because the aircraft’s rotors would interfere with the rotodome radar unit. The Navy would have order an enlarge V-22 airframe and called it the V-24. However, the Royal Navy is looking at the V-22 as possible EW variant as a possible replacement for its EW Sea King helicopters that uses a side mounted radar dome. This design would be better to be use than using the radar rotodome from an E-2 Hawkeye design. Yet, the Royal Navy is also looking at the Merlin helicopters for the Sea King’s replacement because the Merlin EW radar would be installed inside the aft part of the airframe; a much better design than the side mounted EW radar.

        • Curtis Conway

          The AESA antenna can take almost any shape and can easily become part of the side of an aircraft. We have more than one flying example of that.

          • John B. Morgen

            Alright, I have seen several examples of many types of AESA radar antennas, and yes such radars would work well on the V-22, Okay I agreed.

        • Secundius

          @ John B. Morgen.

          Actually, the RN ISN’T. Their going with the Augusta/Westland HM.2 Merlin/Crowsnest AEW. Their NOT INTEREST in the EV-22B/C Osprey design…

          • John B. Morgen

            The EW Merlin variant would be the most logical sense, and much easier to maintain and handle on board RN warships than operating the EV-22 Osprey.

  • Secundius

    Now that Canada, has Dropped Out of the F-35 JSF Program. Planes are going to Cost even MORE…