Looking at this picture, it is hard to believe that the United States and Australia were in a bloody no quarter war against Japan only 70 years ago: Spot the Mitsubishi F-2 escorting a Boeing B-52 Stratofortress, the direct heir of the Boeing B-29 Superfortress bombers that obliterated Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
U.S. Air Force, Japan Air Self-Defence Force and Royal Australian Air Force aircraft fly in formation off the coast of Guam during Cope North 15, Feb. 17, 2015. Through training exercises like Exercise Cope North 15, the U.S., Japan and Australia air forces develop combat capabilities, enhancing air superiority, electronic warfare, air interdiction, tactical airlift and aerial refueling. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Jason Robertson/Released)
This is the Mitsubishi F-2, a fighter built by Mitsubishi and Lockheed Martin based on the General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon. Just seven decades ago, when Mitsubishi was making aeroplanes like the Mitsubishi A6M Zero to destroy Allies’ naval and air forces, nobody could have imagined that the Japanese would be using an American design and fly along American jets.