December
11, 2006: Efforts to sell the U.S. F-22 fighter to Japan fell apart when Japan
insisted that it be allowed to produce the stealth fighter under license. Japan
has been allowed to produce many high-tech American weapons under license, and
has a good record of keeping technology secrets secret. But apparently the F-22
goodies were considered too valuable to be let out of the United States. The
Japanese consider the F-22 an excellent aircraft, but too expensive (at about
$200 million per aircraft for an export version.) Manufacturing the F-22 in
Japan would have at least given a boost to Japan's aircraft industry. That was
another, unspoken, reason for refusing the Japanese a production deal.
