Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. is unlikely to meet the March deadline for delivery of the first test version of a Japan-made stealth fighter to the Defense Ministry, government sources said Tuesday.
The delay was caused by the need to verify a way to restart the aircraft engine if it shut down during flight, the sources said. As a result, they added, the maiden flight will be postponed and the development cost, currently planned at ¥39.2 billion, is likely to increase.
The ministry and Mitsubishi Heavy will hold talks in the near future to set a new delivery deadline, the sources said.