Japan’s Own Fifth-Gen Fighter Makes First Flight | Aviation International News

Japan’s Own Fifth-Gen Fighter Makes First Flight

The Mitsubishi X-2 made a short test hop to reposition at Gifu airbase for further flights.

Japan's fifth-generation fighter, the Mitsubishi X-2, made its first flight on April 22. (Photo: Japanese Defense Agency)

By Chris Pocock • Defense Correspondent

April 25, 2016

Japan’s drive to produce its own fifth-generation fighter took a step forward on April 22, with the first flight of the Mitsubishi X-2. It took off from the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) aerospace facility at Komaki airport near Nagoya and performed basic maneuvers before landing 26 minutes later at nearby Gifu airbase. The MHI test pilot described the flight as “extrememly stable.”

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