Japan’s Upgraded Kawasaki C-2 Cargo Plane Expands Upon US Air Force C-130 Technology

By Logan Williams, Warrior Contributor

In a previous article, Warrior covered the Japanese Air Self-Defense Force’s efforts to convert its airlift cargo plane fleet into capable attack aircraft, by utilizing Palletized Munition Delivery Systems to launch cruise missiles against enemy targets. Perhaps the most peculiar component of Japan’s attempts to re-establish its military prowess is the Kawasaki C-2 development project. The Kawasaki C-2 is a cargo plane designed and produced domestically, by the Kawasaki Aerospace Company, in the capital of that island nation, Tokyo. It was designed to serve as Japan’s alternative to the United States’ now-discontinued heavy-airlift cargo plane, the Boeing C-17 Globemaster, and to replace Japan’s aging C-130 Hercules aircraft.

The Kawasaki C-2 development program was continually plagued by cost over-runs and delays, with the original per-unit cost estimate having been approximately $80 million to $90 million, and the present estimates ranging anywhere from $136 million to $176 million.

This caused a number of defense scholars and Japanese citizens to question whether the project had any value.

A comparison of several key raw metrics reveals that the Kawasaki C-2 has made significant improvements upon the Lockheed-Martin C-130 Hercules, and is incredibly similar, in varying capabilities, to the United States’ C-17 Globemaster.

The C-130 Hercules, which is the United States Air Force’s mid-size assault transport, has a maximum take-off weight of approximately 160,000 lbs, a maximum payload of approximately 40,000 lbs, a maximum speed of an estimated Mach 0.6, a maximum service ceiling of 28,000 ft, and an estimated maximum range which rarely extends over 2,500 miles. However, this is also the cheapest airlifter in the United States’ fleet, with the “fly-away” cost of different variants ranging from approximately $10 million to $75 million.

The C-17 Globemaster, which is the United States Air Forces cargo plane of choice for heavy airlift missions, has a maximum takeoff weight of approximately 585,000 lbs, a maximum payload of approximately 170,000 lbs, a maximum speed of approximately Mach 0.75-0.80, a maximum service ceiling of 45,000 ft, and a maximum range of nearly 3,000 miles without air-to-air refueling (AAR). The C-17 Globemaster’s “fly-away” cost is approximately $200 million – $220 million.

By comparison, the Kawasaki C-2 offers a maximum takeoff weight of 312,000 lbs, a maximum payload of nearly 80,000 lbs, a maximum speed of Mach 0.82, a maximum service ceiling of approximately 43,000 ft., and a maximum range of 3,000 miles at maximum take-off weight.