JAPAN HOPES UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (UAE) WILL BECOME KAWASAKI C-2’S FIRST EXPORT CUSTOMER

The Japanese government will subject the Kawasaki C-2 transport plane to unpaved runway landing tests in an attempt to convince the United Arab Emirates to acquire the aircraft. The C-2 was designed as a successor to the Kawasaki C-1 transporter. It ent

Whilst its performances largely surpass those of the C-1, with about four times the range and three times the loading weight of its predecessor, the C-2 was not specifically developed for take-off and landing from uneven terrain. According to local media Sankei News, that specificity was excluded to reduce development costs and time. However, as it has yet to pick a transport plane for its military, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) requested an evaluation of the C-2 take-off and landing capabilities on unpaved land. In March 2020, the Defence Equipment Agency of the Japanese Ministry of Defence ran a test in Gifu Air Field (QGU) on the island of Honshu, Japan and said the results were satisfying. Another test should be carried out in the presence of representatives from the UAE government in October 2020.

The C-2 is a twin-jet military transport aircraft built by Kawasaki Aerospace Company, with a high-wings and T-tail design, capable of being operated from relatively short runways. It is powered by two General Electric CF6-80C2K turbofan engines. As a cost-saving measure, it shares some structural elements with the Kawasaki P-1 maritime transport plane. If it was to choose the C-2 over its competition, the United Arab Emirates Air Force would be the first foreign operator of the aircraft. The Airbus A400M Atlas is reportedly another candidate being examined. Unlike the C-2, the European turboprop airlifter was designed for rough terrain take-off and landing.