28 января 2016г. компания Mitsubishi Heavy Industries представила новый самолет ATD-X Shinshin - демонстратор технологий перспективного японского истребителя пятого поколения F-3. Первый полет ATD-X планируется на ближайшее время. Решение правительства Японии о начале программы истребителя F-3 ожидается в 2018 г.

The X-2 ShinShin at the Mitsubishi Heavy Industry plant at Komaki, Japan, during the roll-out ceremony on January 28, 2016.

The Mitsubishi ATD-X Shinshin 51-001 during its official roll out.

Демонстрационный самолет X-2

X-2 ShinShin 51-0001 during its maiden flight from Nagoya to Gifu Air Base on April 22, 2016.

X-2 51-0001 landing at Gifu Air Base on April 22, 2016. Note the arrangement of the three petals of the thrust vectoring nozzle fitted to each Ishikawajima-Harima XF5-1 afterburning turbofan engine and the smoke generated by each.

X2 ShinShin on take-off from Nagoya-Komaki Airport on April 22, 2016.

The X-2 demonstrator landing at Gifu Air Base in October 2017 with a spin recovery chute fitted for high-angle-of-attack testing.

This landing shot of the X-2 shows the configuration of the diamond-shaped engine inlets and the chine of the forward fuselage; features associated with fifth-generation aircraft designs.

Макет японского истребителя Mitsubishi ATD-X Shinshin

Japan's Ministry of Defence is reported to have made the decision on August 10, 2007 to go ahead with development of an indigenous stealth fighter design under the ATD-X (Advanced Technology Demonstrator) programme. Ambitiously, Japan is seeking to have a prototype flying within five years, a goal which seems rather optimistic, although it is unclear how much research work has already been undertaken. This full size mock-up, used for radar cross-section trials, was unveiled last year by the Japanese MOD's Technical Research and Development Institute (TRDI) and shows a possible configuration for such an aircraft. The decision to go ahead with ATD-X appears to have largely been brought about by US reluctance to sell Japan the F-22A Raptor.

Макет перспективного самолета - демонстратора технологий Мицубиси ATD-X

Artist's impression of possible FI-X configuration as JASDF's next-generation fighter (1995)