The Kawasaki C-2 (previously XC-2 and C-X) is a mid-size, twin-turbofan engine, long range, high speed military transport aircraft developed and manufactured by Kawasaki Aerospace Company. Designed to replace the older Kawasaki C-1, the C-2 formally entered service with the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) in June 2016."次期輸送機試作1号機の初飛行について." Ministry of Defense, 25 January 2010. There are ongoing efforts to sell it overseas.
Development After researching foreign aircraft such as the C-130J Super Hercules, C-17 Globemaster III, and Airbus A400M, the Japanese Ministry of Defense concluded that there were no aircraft in production that possessed the capabilities that the JASDF required. In response to this need, the Japanese MOD commenced the production of plans to develop an indigenously designed and manufactured transport aircraft. In 1995, Kawasaki appealed to the Japanese Defense Agency (JDA) to issue funding for the development of a domestically built C-X transport aircraft.Lewis, Paul. "Kawasaki presses JDA for transport-launch cash." Flight International, 18 January 1995. In 2000, the JDA began forming its requirement for the replacement military airlifter; early determinations for the proposed project included that it would be powered by turbofan engines, possess the range to reach Hawaii from Japan, and carry double the payload of the C-130.Jeziorski, Andrzej. "Japanese fine tune military transport requirement." Flight International, 28 March 2000.
In May 2001, the MOD formally issued a request for proposals in regards to the new transport aircraft, referred to as the C-X program; at the time, the MOD planned to procure 40 aircraft to replace its aging Kawasaki C-1 and C-130 Hercules fleets."平成21年度ライフサイクルコスト管理年次報告書". Equipment Procurement and Construction Office.Doyle, Andrew. "Japan's hopes for CX/MPX commonality fade." Flight International, 26 June 2001. In December 2001, it was announced that Kawasaki Aerospace Company, the aerospace division of Kawasaki Heavy Industries, had been selected by the JDA as the prime contractor to develop the C-X."Sky-High Expectations for Japan's P-X and C-X Aircraft." Kawasaki Heavy Industries Scope Quarterly Newsletter, No. 73. October 2007."Kawasaki to lead the way in C-X/P-X development ." Flight International, 4 December 2001.
Kawasaki developed the C-X in parallel with the P-X, which it had also been selected to develop. As a cost saving measure, major airframe parts and system components were shared between the two aircraft.Jeziorski, Andrzej. "Japan unveils plan to develop transport and maritime aircraft." Flight International, 28 November 2000. They use the same basic wing structure, although it is installed at different sweep angle and dihedral on the two versions, with different high lift devices and powerplant attachments. Common components include the cockpit windows, outer wings, horizontal stabilizer, and other systems. Internal shared parts include the auxiliary power unit, cockpit panel, flight control system computer, anti-collision lights, and gear control unit. As of 2007, the total development cost for the two aircraft has been , which is low compared to other programs; for example, the development contract for the Boeing P-8 Poseidon was $3.89 billion in 2004.""Boeing Team Wins $3.89 Billion Multi-Mission Maritime Aircraft Program." Boeing, 14 May 2004.
Several powerplants were considered for the C-X, including the Rolls-Royce Trent 800, the General Electric CF6-80C2L1F and the Pratt & Whitney PW4000.Doyle, Andrew. "JDA studies turbofan for C-X programme." Flight International, 31 December 2002.Lewis, Paul. "GE eyes C-5M-type engine for C-X." Flight International, 22 July 2013. In May 2003, Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries (IHI) announced its support of General Electric's CF6-80C2L1F engine, having formed an arrangement to locally manufacture the powerplant.Sobie, Brendan. "IHI backs GE's CF6 engine proposal." Flight International, 27 May 2003. That same year, the CF6-80C2L1F was selected to power the type. In August 2003, it was announced that the C-X project had passed a preliminary JDA design review, allowing for prototype manufacturing to proceed.Sobie, Brendan. "C-X, P-X projects enter production." Flight International, 19 August 2003.
During the construction of the first prototype, there was a problem discovered with some American-made rivets which delayed the roll-out to 4 July 2007 along with its cousin aircraft P-X (since designated as the P-1)."Production fault hits Kawasaki transport and MPA projects." Flight International, 13 February 2007. During structural testing, deformation of the XP-1 / XC-2 horizontal stabiliser was found, as well as cracking in the XC-2 undercarriage trunnion structure and parts of the fuselage; the cracking problem was reportedly difficult to address. The C-X program was embroiled in further controversy when allegations that bribery had been involved in the purchase of five General Electric CF6-80C2 engines, used to power the aircraft, were made by prosecutors.
In 2008, according to the Chunichi Shimbun, the C-2 was set to cost about ."中日新聞:＜蜜月の終焉＞ ミライズに固執:防衛利権 蜜月の構図." , Chunichi Shimbun, 10 November 2007. Postponement of the F-X program and the need to increase funding of the F-15J fleet modernisation program have necessitated the implementation of a one-year delay in the C-X program. Japanese Ministry of Defence, 2010. Japanese Ministry of Defence, 2010. In 2014, the aircraft was delayed again following the failure of the rear cargo door during pressure tests. The delay will increase the program cost by to 260 billion yen in addition to delays to the program. In March 2016, it was reported that the C-2 program faced delays of five years from its initial schedule due to technical problems, while development costs were then estimated to hit ¥264.3 billion, ¥80 billion more than initially projected. On 27 March 2017, the Japanese Ministry of Defense announced that development of the C-2 was completed.ATLA "次期輸送機（XC－2）の開発完了について" "ATLA", 29 March 2017.
Kawasaki has also studied the development of a civil-orientated version of the C-2 with ambitions to sell the type to commercial operators. In this variant, tentatively designated as the YC-X, little modification is envisioned from the C-2, making use of transferable technologies from the military airlifter, although the intended payload is likely to be increased from the C-2's 26-ton maximum to 37 tons.Govindasamy, Siva. "Kawasaki talks civil." Flight International, 23 September 2008. In 2007, it was stated that the development of a civilian derivative of the C-2 has been given a lower priority than the completion of the military airlifter.Francis, Leithen. "Japan to make commercial cargo aircraft." Flight International, 4 July 2007.
In late 2012, Kawasaki was in the process of consulting potential customers on the topic of the YC-X for transporting outsize cargo; based upon customer feedback, Kawasaki forecast an estimated demand for up to 100 freighters capable of handling bulky cargoes between 2020 and 2030.Waldron, Greg. "Kawasaki seriously exploring commercial potential of C-2 airlifter." Flight International, 9 October 2012.
On March 20, 2023, Kawasaki representatives said that they are looking into lowering the C-2's production cost, which is a concern both the Ministry of Defense and potential export customers have mentioned to them in the past.
Design
The Kawasaki C-2 is a long range twin-engine transport aircraft. In comparison with the older C-1 that it replaces, the C-2 can carry payloads up to four times heavier, such as MIM-104 Patriot surface-to-air missile batteries and Mitsubishi H-60 helicopters, and possesses six times the range.Pultarova, Tereza. "Japan's new military cargo plane needs re-engineering." Engineering & Technology Magazine, 4 July 2014."Air Self-Defense Force unveils C-2 next-generation transport aircraft." The Japan Times, 15 March 2016.
The C-2 is being developed to meet the following requirements of the Ministry of Defense: a minimum payload of 26 tonnes, 120 metric ton (264,552 lb 132.275 short ton) take-off weight, ability to takeoff/land on short runways, (Requirement: 500m, almost same as C-1,"Requirements for C-X" Japanese Defense Agency, 2001. e.g. Tachikawa—900 m, Kamigoto—800 m, Hateruma—800 m), a maximum payload of 37,600 kg whilst taking off from a 2,300 m Take-off Field Length at a 141 tonnes (310,851 lb 155.42 short ton) take-off weight, ability to fly international airroutes (Requirement: Mach 0.8+; JDA ruled out C-17 as a candidate by its lower cruising speed."次期輸送機（次期固定翼哨戒機及び次期輸送機（その2） 政策評価書（要旨） (Policy assessments for coming transporter aircraft)" Japanese Defense Agency, 2001. Conventional cargo aircraft cannot cruise at optimum altitude on commercial airroutes because of their lower cruising speed and are often assigned to lower altitude by ATC."防衛省大型機の民間転用構想について (Research for commercializing XC-2 Cargo Aircraft)" Kawasaki Heavy Industries, 23 April 2010.), in-flight aerial refuelling and forward looking infrared systems.
The C-2 is powered by a pair of General Electric CF6-80C2K turbofan engines. While sharing fuselage components with the Kawasaki P-1, the fuselage of the C-2's is substantially larger to accommodate a vast internal cargo deck, which is furnished with an automated loading/unloading system to reduce workloads on personnel and ground equipment. The forward fuselage and horizontal stabilizer is made of an internally-designed composite material, KMS6115. A tactical flight management system and head-up display is installed to reduce the challenges involved in flying at low altitudes or close to mountainous terrain. The C-2 is equipped with a full glass cockpit, fly-by-wire flight controls, a high-precision navigation system, and self protection systems.hikita, Atsushi. "The meaning of JASDF's airlift operation in Iraq and JASDF's future challenge." Japan Air Self Defense Force, Retrieved: 3 July 2016.
Variants RC-2
The RC-2s had been in development since 2015. On 6 February 2018, 2nd prototype "18-1202" was converted to "RC-2" as an electronic intelligence platform at Gifu Air Field.ATLA "次期機上電波測定装置/機上電波測定装置の開発"
In October 2020, the JASDF introduced the RC-2 electronic intelligence (ELINT) aircraft into service at Iruma Air Base, some of which will replace the NAMC YS-11EB and possibly -EA for electronic warfare tasks.Japan is bolstering its electronic warfare capabilities, Mike Yeo, C4ISRnet.com, 2020-10-05
EC-2 Stand-Off Jammer
The Stand-Off Electronic Warfare Aircraft (スタンド・オフ電子戦機), or SOJ, colloquially known as the EC-2, is an Electronic-warfare aircraft intended to replace the EC-1, which has been in service since 1986.
The aircraft is based on serial 68-1203, the third C-2 transport completed, which has been converted for its specialist electronic warfare role.
Development has been underway since 2021, with the aircraft first publicly spotted at Gifu Air Base in February 2026. It features a bulbous nose similar to that of the EC-1, along with two large bulges on the upper fuselage and two further bulges on the sides of the fuselage between the wings and the horizontal stabilizers, housing ESM, ECM, and SATCOM equipment. Some systems are inherited from the EC-1, including the J/ALQ-5 electronic countermeasures suite. The program is divided into two phases, focusing on the integration of the new capabilities and their refinement respectively, with ¥41.4 billion allocated to its development in total.