Kawasaki C-X

Infobox Aircraft
name = C-X
type = Military transport aircraft
manufacturer = Kawasaki Heavy Industries


caption =
first flight =
introduced =
retired =
status = Under development
primary user = Japan Air Self-Defense Force
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The Kawasaki C-X is a transport aircraft being developed by Kawasaki Heavy Industries for the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF). The JASDF plans to buy between 30 to 50 aircraft to replace its aging Kawasaki C-1 and C-130 Hercules.

Design and development

In 2001, the Japan Defense Agency had decided on buying a new transport aircraft to replace its aging C-1s. After researching foreign aircraft like the C-130J Super Hercules, C-17 Globemaster III, and Airbus A400M, the JDA concluded that no aircraft had the capabilities the JASDF required. The JDA decided to develop its own transport aircraft.

Kawasaki Heavy Industries was chosen to develop the aircraft, along with the P-X to cut costs. As of 2007, the total development cost for the two aircraft has been 345 billion Yen (or roughly equal to $2.9 billion), which is comparably low to similar programs. (The development contract for the P-8 Poseidon alone is $3.89 billion)" [http://www.boeing.com/news/releases/2004/q2/nr_040614n.html Boeing Team Wins $3.89 Billion Multi-Mission Maritime Aircraft Program] ," Boeing press release.]

The aircraft is being developed to meet the requirements of the Ministry of Defense, notably, the payload requirement of 26 metric tons. Recent information from the Defense Clearance, however, suggests a payload of more than 30 metric tons, but the exact numbers are not revealed at this point. These requirements are for a 120 ton take-off weight, since the JASDF needs to land the transport on short runways (i.e. Tachikawa - 900m). With a runway of 2300m and at Maximum take off weight of about 141tons, the aircraft will be able to carry a maximum of 37.6tons. It will also have a maximum range of 10,000km (without payload).

The aircraft will be also notable to have flight performances that will make it fly on commercial airliner routes. Past aircraft like the C-130 were not capable of this, and the JASDF had troubles sending its own on foreign evacuation missions.

It will be powered by two CF6-80C2 engines just like the the Boeing KC-767 and E-767 which the JASDF also operate.

The C-X also will have a new tactical flight management system which assists the pilot at low level flight. The aircraft will also be equipped with an automatic load on/off system in the cargo bay. Air refueling systems and night vision will also be incorporated.

There has been a problem on 3,663 American made rivets and the roll-out was delayed, but the aircraft was rolled out on July 4, 2007 with its sister aircraft P-X (now XP-1). First flight is scheduled to be in September 2007 but has been delayed to December 2007. [ Cracking Up, Aviation Week and Space Techology, August 6, 2007, p. 27. ]

In May, 2007, tests showed incorrect deformation of the horizontal stabilizer. An investigation showed that the C-X was predicted to have the same fault. In July of that year, further tests showed in the C-X showed cracks around the main landing gear and portions of the fuselage.

Kawasaki intends to sell a commercial model, and it will be able fly at commercial airliner speed making it flyable on commercial airline routes.cn

According to Yomiuri,who the aircraft costs about 10 billion YEN per plane (about US$80 million).cn Because the new fighter program F-X has been postponed, the JASDF has decided to increase funding for the F-15Jkai, and procurement of C-X will been postponed for about a year.

pecifications

aircraft specifications
plane or copter?=plane
jet or prop?=jet
ref=
crew=3
capacity=Length 16 m, Width 4 m, Height 4 m
payload main=Max:30+ metric tons (120ton TOW)
payload alt=Max:37.6 metric tons (MOTW)
length main=43.9 m
length alt=144 ft
span main=44.4 m
span alt=145 ft 8 in
height main=14.2 m
height alt=46 ft 7 in
area main=
area alt=
airfoil=
empty weight main=60,800 kg
empty weight alt=133,920 lbs
loaded weight main=
loaded weight alt=
useful load main=
useful load alt=
normal takeoff weight main=120,000 kg
max takeoff weight main=141,400 kg
max takeoff weight alt=311,453 lbs
more general=
engine (jet)=GE
type of jet=CF6-80C2K1F [ [http://rgl.faa.gov/Regulatory_and_Guidance_library/rgMakeModel.nsf/0/706579a7e83efab48625727b00751aff/$FILE/E13NE.pdf Original Message ] ]
number of jets=2
thrust main=59,740lbf
thrust alt=266 kN
thrust original=
afterburning thrust main=
afterburning thrust alt=
engine (prop)=
type of prop=
number of props=
power main=
power alt=
power original=
max speed main= 610? mph
max speed alt= 980? km/h
cruise speed main= 550 mph
cruise speed alt= 890km/h
stall speed main=
stall speed alt=
never exceed speed main=
never exceed speed alt=
range main=0t/10,000km 12t/8,900km 37t/5,600km
range alt=0t/6200 miles 12t/5,530miles 37t/3,480miles
ceiling main=40,000 ft
ceiling alt=12,200 m
climb rate main=
climb rate alt=
loading main=
loading alt=
thrust/weight=
power/mass main=
power/mass alt=
more performance=
armament=
avionics=

ee also

aircontent
related=
* Kawasaki P-1
* Kawasaki YPX

similar aircraft=
* Airbus A400M
* Embraer C-390
* Ilyushin Il-76

lists=
* List of military aircraft of Japan

see also=

References

External links

* [http://www.mod.go.jp/trdi/en/programs/air/air.html Department of Air Systems Development.]