Before the Pacific War, British planes defended Japanese skies. Will Japanese planes now defend the British Isles?

Britain has not formally decided it will buy new maritime patrol planes, having canceled an order for nine built by BAE Systems in 2010 due to delays and cost over-runs, and the P-1, made by Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd., would face stiff competition from Boeing’s P-8 Poseidon, the three sources said. 

Japanese officials raised the issue of London buying the P-1 to replace the British-made Hawker Siddeley Nimrod, which was retired in 2011, when they met their U.K. counterparts to discuss defense equipment cooperation at the Farnborough Air Show near London in July, the sources said. 

After Abe eased curbs on military exports in April, his Defense Ministry has been looking to tap foreign markets for its cocooned weapons makers, including potential deals to sell subs to Australia and seaplanes to India. A P-1 sale to Britain would be Japan’s first major military deal outside the Asia-Pacific region.  

Abe wants Japan’s defense suppliers to move into the global arms market through tie-ups that will help bring down procurement costs and strengthen the nation’s military to counter China’s growing military might. 

Even if Britain doesn’t buy, the P-1 could benefit from being treated as a genuine contender.  

“If the U.K. gives it serious consideration, then the P-1 will garner attention internationally,” one Japanese source said.

(Japan Times)