Japan boosts its electronic warfare (EW) and ELINT capabilities with RC-2 intelligence-gathering aircraft

Oct. 15, 2020
The RC-2 will replace the four NAMC YS-11EBs currently serving, although it’s unknown if the new plan will replace the YS-11EBs one-for-one.

MELBOURNE, Australia – The Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) has inducted the first of a new kind of intelligence-gathering aircraft into service, following a two-year flight test program. C4ISRnet reports. Continue reading original article

The Military & Aerospace Electronics take:

15 Oct. 2020 -- The JASDF announced the induction of the RC-2 electronic intelligence (ELINT)-gathering aircraft at Iruma Air Base in the western suburbs of the Japanese capital Tokyo earlier this month.

The RC-2 electronic warfare (EW) jet is based on the Kawasaki Heavy Industries C-2 airlifter and has been heavily modified with multiple aircraft fairings that contain antennas for detecting, receiving and classifying electronic emissions. The aircraft made its maiden flight in early 2018, though the variant had been in development since at least 2015.

Since that time, it underwent a series of flight tests conducted by the JASDF Air Development and Test Wing at Iruma, where the force’s ELINT squadron is based.

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John Keller, chief editor
Military & Aerospace Electronics

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