The Defense Security Cooperation Agency said the U.S State Department had approved the sale of an upgrade package for the transformation of Japanese F-15G fighter aircraft.

“The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to Japan for the upgrade of up to ninety-eight (98) F-15J aircraft to a Japanese Super Interceptor (JSI) configuration for an estimated cost of $4.5 billion,” the Defense Security Cooperation Agency said on Tuesday after notifying Congress.

The Japanese Government has requested the upgrade of up to 98 F-15J JSI’s configuration consisting of (including spares) up to one hundred three APG-82(v)1 Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) Radar, 116 Advanced Display Core Processor II (ADCP II) Mission System Computer , 101 ALQ-239 Digital Electronic Warfare System (DEWS).

This proposed sale will provide Japan a critical air defense capability to assist in defending the Japanese homeland and U.S. personnel stationed there, according to the Defense Security Cooperation Agency.

Modernized F-15J assets will better enable Japan to respond to airborne threats and defend its airspace.  Japan will have no difficulty absorbing this equipment and support into its armed forces.

The Drive has reported that Japan has been publicly looking to upgrade at least a portion of its F-15J fleet for over a year and 2 previous reports have already indicated the country’s preference for many of the systems described in the DSCA announcement, including Raytheon’s AN/APG-82(V)1 active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar and BAE Systems’ AN/ALQ-239 Digital Electronic Warfare System (DEWS).