The Kawasaki C-2 was designed and produces by the Kawasaki Aerospace company as a medium-sized military transport aircraft fitted with twin-turbofan engines equipped to fly long-range at high speeds. In January 2010, it performed its maiden flight and in June 2016, the aircraft was officially introduced with the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF). The aircraft was produced from 2010 up to the present.
The Kawasaki C-2 was built by Kawasaki Aerospace Company to meet the requirement of the Ministry of Defense for a military transport that could carry a minimum payload of 26,000 kg and a maximum payload of 37,600 kg, can operate on short landing strips, could travel on international routes, and a few more specifications. On January 26, 2010, the XC-2 prototype took its first flight.
The Kawasaki C-2 can accommodate a crew member of three; two pilots and one loadmaster. It has a maximum payload of 37,600 kg or equivalent to either a field operation system, a truck crane, eight 463L master pallets, a single UH-60JA helicopter, or a single maneuver combat vehicle wheeled tank destroyer. The aircraft has an external length of 43.9 meters, an external height of 6 meters, and a fuselage diameter of 5 meters. The tail height is 14.2 meters and the wheelbase is 14.6 meters. It has a wingspan of 44.4 meters. The cabin height is 4 meters, the cabin length is 16 meters, and the cabin width is 4 meters.
The aircraft is powered by twin General Electric CF6-80C2K1F engines. It is a high-bypass ratio turbofan engine with a dual rotor, an axial-flow four-stage LP and fourteen-stage HP compressor, and an annular combustor. Each engine produces a maximum thrust of 59,740 lbf. The aircraft has an empty weight of 60,800 kg, a maximum takeoff weight of 141,400 kg, and a fuel tank capacity of 11,360 US gal. It has a maximum speed of 500 knots and a cruise speed of 480 knots. The travel range is 4,100 nautical miles with 20,000 kg of payload, 3,100 nautical miles with 30,000 kg payload, and 2,400 nautical miles with 36,000 kg payload. The ferry range is 5,300 nautical miles. The aircraft can fly up to 40,000 feet and can climb at a rate of 3,500 feet per minute. The takeoff and landing distances are both 500 meters.