ELINT/SIGINT C-2 breaks cover in Japan

A Kawasaki C-2 has broken cover at JASDF Gifu to do taxi tests. This particular aircraft is configured into a SIGINT/ELINT configuration. The aircraft has large fairings on the nose and tail, as well as the top and sides of the rear fuselage. The aircraft will replace the NAMC YS-11EB, which is their current intelligence gathering platform. It's due to be retired in coming years.

The system will be able to gather signals intelligence from long range, as well as pinpoint adversary systems. It can then pass that intelligence on to allied platforms through onboard systems.

SINGAPORE ― The test bed of Japan’s intelligence gathering version of the Kawasaki C-2 airlifter has broken cover, with photographs emerging of the aircraft undergoing taxi tests.

The photo, taken Tuesday at the Japan Air Self-Defense Force base at Gifu, shows a C-2 with enlarged fairings on the nose, tail, top and sides of the rear fuselage. According to documents released by Japanese Defense Ministry’s acquisition agency, the aircraft variant will have an electronic intelligence/communications intelligence suite.

www.defensenews.com...

a reply to: Zaphod58

Must say, to my eye, that's an elegant looking aircraft.

The photo of the plane at the website you linked looks........huge? Maybe that's a wrong impression, but, man, its wide!

My only other thought.......I'd hate to have to serve in these type aircraft, i.e., ELINT. I'd feel so "exposed", ill defended. Maybe they include some defensive countermeasures? They look like eye candy for the operator of a SAM facility.

a reply to: TonyS

The C-2 falls between a C-130 and C-17 in terms of payload. It was designed as a cargo plane to begin with, with a payload around 79,000 pounds.

Very sharp looking aircraft

Tony, I'd imagine this aircraft would at least be equipped with standard missile countermeasures like chaff, decoys, flares and maybe even sophisticated EA instruments to disrupt the missile's "go on to target" mechanism

It is also possible their ELINT/SIGINT collection tools have a longer range than the typical SAM risk profile (like S300/400 or the new S500, in a Russian context)

a reply to: JBurns

They generally stay out pretty far. One of the interesting things about radar is that you can detect it at a much longer range than it can get a useful return.

Must say, to my eye, that's an elegant looking aircraft.

Japanese aircraft always have a sense of beauty about them..

Reminds me of a C-17, with obvious differences of course.

I see alot of uhf and vhf antennas and some dme and I dig the raydomes.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
A Kawasaki C-2 has broken cover at JASDF Gifu to do taxi tests. This particular aircraft is configured into a SIGINT/ELINT configuration. The aircraft has large fairings on the nose and tail, as well as the top and sides of the rear fuselage. The aircraft will replace the NAMC YS-11EB, which is their current intelligence gathering platform. It's due to be retired in coming years.

The system will be able to gather signals intelligence from long range, as well as pinpoint adversary systems. It can then pass that intelligence on to allied platforms through onboard systems.

SINGAPORE ― The test bed of Japan’s intelligence gathering version of the Kawasaki C-2 airlifter has broken cover, with photographs emerging of the aircraft undergoing taxi tests.

The photo, taken Tuesday at the Japan Air Self-Defense Force base at Gifu, shows a C-2 with enlarged fairings on the nose, tail, top and sides of the rear fuselage. According to documents released by Japanese Defense Ministry’s acquisition agency, the aircraft variant will have an electronic intelligence/communications intelligence suite.

www.defensenews.com...[/qu ote]

edit on 8-2-2018 by ashnomadonte because: (no reason given)

a reply to: ashnomadonte

More photos:

alert5.com...

More info:

www.flightglobal.com...

a reply to: ashnomadonte

I'm actually surprised they didn't use the P-1.

a reply to: anzha

They didn't waste any time getting it flying, did they.

theaviationist.com...

The official designation will be the RC-2.