The Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) has officially launched the flight test program for the new XEC-2 electronic combat aircraft. According to a report by Jane's Defence Weekly citing the Japan Air Development and Test Command (ADTC), the first flight took place on July 15. This event marks a significant milestone in the modernization of the Japan Self-Defense Forces' air fleet.
Details of the First Flight
The ADTC released a video capturing the takeoff of the experimental aircraft from Gifu Air Base in Nagoya. Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) data confirmed the exact departure time: 15:35 local time. The aircraft returned to base at 16:48 on the same day.
During the flight, which lasted just over an hour, the experimental aircraft reached a maximum altitude of 7,163 meters. To ensure safety and facilitate data collection, the flight was escorted by an F-2 fighter jet. The aircraft, bearing serial number 68-1203, was delivered to the test center in June, after which preparations for the flight commenced.
Technical Features and Mission Objectives
The XEC-2 is developed based on the Kawasaki Heavy Industries C-2 transport aircraft. Visually, the aircraft differs from the baseline model due to distinctive features: a flattened nose section and protective radomes on the upper and rear parts of the fuselage. This configuration is necessary to house antennas capable of covering a wider area for information gathering.
The primary mission of this aircraft is to detect and collect data on enemy electronic equipment, as well as to jam enemy communications, radars, and data transmission systems. According to the Japanese Ministry of Defense, the future production variant, designated EC-2, will serve as a key element in supporting fighter aviation.
Strategy for Replacing Obsolete Systems
Development of the XEC-2 project was initiated by the Japanese Ministry of Defense in the 2020 fiscal year. Full-scale flight tests are scheduled for March 2026, four months after the first flight. Upon successful completion of all testing phases, the Japan Self-Defense Forces plan to procure up to four production EC-2 aircraft.
The new technology is intended to replace obsolete EC-1 aircraft, also developed by Kawasaki Heavy Industries, which have been in service since 1986. The introduction of the EC-2 will significantly enhance the combat effectiveness of F-35A, F-15J, and F-2 fighters by making them harder to detect and engage by the enemy. The XEC-2 is the second specialized variant of the C-2 platform, following the RC-2 signals intelligence aircraft, which first took to the skies in 2018.
