According to a Kyodo News report on April 27, multiple Japanese government-related sources revealed that regarding the next-generation fighter jet of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force being jointly developed by Japan, the UK, and Italy with plans for deployment before 2035, the Ministry of Defense is considering naming it "Reifu."
The discussion on this name is being secretly advanced by high-ranking officials at the Ministry of Defense. There are no current laws to refer to when using the names of World War II Imperial Japanese military aircraft, and there are also criticisms within the Ministry of Defense that it "could evoke associations with militarism."
Model of the next-generation fighter jet jointly developed by Japan, the UK, and Italy. Kyodo News
According to multiple government sources, the Ministry of Defense has internal rules for naming aircraft of the Self-Defense Forces: using English letters (such as "F" for fighters and "C" for transport planes) combined with development sequence numbers. These regulations do not address the use of names from old Imperial Japanese aircraft.
The name of the next-generation fighter will follow these internal rules, naming it as the successor model to the current F-2 fighter, called "F3," while the Ministry of Defense is considering adding the nickname "Reifu," forming the composite name "F-3 Reifu."
"Reifu" was a carrier-based fighter aircraft developed by Japan in the final stages of World War II, intended to replace the Zero fighter, but production was not completed due to the end of the war.
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Original source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7497986824737767951/
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