Japan Seeks to Sell Submarine-Hunting Jet to UK
Japan wants Britain to buy its P-1 submarine-hunting jet in a deal that could top $1 billion (660 million pounds), a major step in Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s push to arms exports after decades of self-imposed restrictions
Japan is trying to sell its new P-1 submarine-hunting jet to the British military in a new effort to up its own military exports, bucking decades of Japanese policies against arms exports.
Kawasaki Heavy Industries, the maker of P-1 maritime patrol aircraft, would compete with Boeing’s tried-and-tested, state-of-the-art P-8 Poseidon for the contract, which is expected to be worth more than $1 billion (£600 million).
Even if Britain doesn't buy, the P-1 could benefit from being treated as a genuine contender, Japan hopes.
The U.K. hasn’t formally decided whether it will go ahead and buy a new patrol aircraft, so talks are anything but formal. Still, the U.K. recently retired its own domestically built patrol aircraft and is expected to replace it after cancelling a previous replacement contract with BAE systems after lengthy delays.
Britain scrapped its own Nimrod patrol planes after the 2010 cost-cutting defence review and has since had to rely on allies including France, Canada and America to fill the gap.
Maritime Logistics Professional ENews is the industry's largest circulation and most authoritative ENews Service, delivered to your Email three times per week