Japan's C-2 Formally Deployed by JASDF Now

Development of Ｃ-2 Transport is Completed and Deployment Started

March 30, 2017

Edited from various sources

Ministry of Defense

Japan Air Self Defense Force (JASDF) started the deployment of new and indigenous C-2 military transport on March 30.  The first three aircraft started the deployment and JASDF will deploy a total of 10 C-2s by 2020 at Miho Base, Tottori, facing the Sea of Japan and closer to the Korean peninsula.

Three aircraft will start operational test until September 2018, while they will be put into real operations partially to replace aging C-1 transports.

Compared with C-1, C-2 is bigger by 1.5 times in size and range and will prove its capability for defense of Japan’s far reaching islands as well as international peace keeping operations.

C-2 is produced by Kawasaki Heavy Industries and share components with P-1 maritime patrol jet already in service by Japanese navy.

---Specification of C-2

Length: 44 meters

Width: 44 m

Power plant: CF6-80C2K1F 22,680kg（50,000lb） × 2

Cargo space : L15.7×W4×H4m

Empty weight : 60.8t

Cargo capacity : 32t（2.5G）、36t（2.25G）

Maximum takeoff weight: 141t

Max speed: Mach 0.82（917 km/h）

Cruise speed: Mach 0.8]（890 km/h

Range: 9,800km/0t、7,600km/20t、5,700km/30t、4,500km/36t[

Ceiling limit: 40,000 ft （12,200 m）

Minimum take-off length: 500 m

Radar Satellite #5 Launched

Japan Succeeded in Launching Radar Satellite #5

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and  the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) launched H-IIA rocket #33 from Tanegashima Space Center, southern part of Japan, at 10:20:00 Japan Standard Time, March 17. The launcher carried Information gathering satellite using radar #5 unit.

They found the successful separation of the satellite later. The satellite later was confirmed in orbit as planned.

This time’s successful launching of H-IIA marked the 27th consecutively and its functionality rate has reached to 97%,

The radar satellite #5 would take place of the satellite #3 which was launched in 2012 and reaching to the end of its designed life.

Except for the newly launched satellite, Japan operates six-satellites, three optical and three radar satellites respectively for information gathering.

As North Korea is showing its assertiveness in launching ballistic missiles and claims to target U.S. military installations in Japanese homeland, information gathering is getting more critical for the security reason.

The fifth radar satellite is reportedly carrying more advanced radar resolution of  50cm, instead of 1 meter by previous birds.