Kawasaki EC-2 Makes First Flight in Japan

The Kawasaki EC-2 electronic warfare aircraft took to the skies for the first time from a Japanese airbase.

This was reported by the Aviation Development Group of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force.

The aircraft’s exterior immediately catches the eye: a massive, bulbous nose, two large fairings on top of the fuselage, and two more on the sides of the tail section.

The Kawasaki EC-2 was developed based on the Japanese-made C-2 military transport aircraft.

Development began in 2021. The aircraft is designed to jam enemy systems in the electronic warfare spectrum and will do so from a safe distance, outside the range of enemy air defenses.

The third production C-2 with tail number 68-1203 was used for the conversion.

In terms of size and capabilities, the C-2 transport aircraft occupies an intermediate position between the American C-17 and C-130.

The aircraft is equipped with two General Electric CF6 turbofan engines. The C-2’s payload capacity is approximately 36,000 kg, with a maximum takeoff weight of about 141,000 kg.

The EC-2 replaced the one-of-a-kind EC-1 aircraft, which was decommissioned.

That aircraft, in turn, was converted from a C-1 transport and served for many years in the electronic warfare group at Iruma Air Base.

Some of the equipment from the EC-1, including the J/ALQ-5 electronic countermeasures system, has likely been transferred to the new aircraft.

Primary purpose

In combat conditions, the aircraft will use powerful electronic warfare capabilities to disrupt enemy sensors — primarily air defense and communications systems — both on the ground and in the air. The budget request for fiscal year 2025 allocates approximately $260 million for the development of the EC-2.

The EC-2 is the second specialized variant of the C-2, following the RC-2 electronic intelligence aircraft, which first took to the skies in 2018 and was officially handed over to the Self-Defense Forces in 2020.

According to statements from the Japanese Ministry of Defense, the EC-2 and RC-2 will operate jointly: the RC-2 will collect data on enemy electronic signal sources, while the EC-2 will jam them.

Japan is also developing a missile carrier based on the C-2 transport aircraft.