Two documents released by the Japanese Communist Party (JCP) revealed that the Japanese Ministry of Defense considered cancelling the purchase of three RQ-4s in June this year.
By Andy M. Kin [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
The Ministry had to conduct a review into the purchase after the latest price quoted by Northrop Grumman went beyond the 15 percent estimate of quoted in 2014.
The American company justified the markup by saying that production of the aircraft has ended and replacement parts need to be developed for the Japanese purchase.
The Jun. 28 document suggests suspending the acquisition and replace the intelligence gathering functions with Japan’s own satellites.
However, a new document in July stated that the RQ-4s were “indispensable.”