The Japanese defense procurement agency Acquisition, Technology & Logistics Agency (ATLA) has awarded Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI) a contract to begin a program to develop a new electronic warfare aircraft. The military transport Kawasaki C-2 will act as a basis for it.
The amount of the agreement issued is 15 billion yen (143.1 million dollars). The total cost of the program for the development of a new winged aircraft is estimated at 46.5 billion yen: the construction of prototypes is not included here.
The Kawasaki C-2 military transport aircraft will serve as the basis for a promising electronic warfare aircraft. They want to complete preliminary tests of two prototypes by the end of the 2026th fiscal year, after which several pre-production cars will be built.
According to preliminary estimates, one production aircraft will cost 48 billion yen. The new aircraft are to replace the EU-1 and YS-11EA aircraft in the Japanese Air Defense Force.
Tokyo has long embarked on a course of modernizing its air fleet while dramatically expanding its capabilities. So, in addition to the American F-35, Japan wants to get its own new generation fighter.