Japan Deploys Home-Made Kawasaki C-2 Military Transport Aircraft to Local Airbase

Japan's Air Self-Defense Force has deployed local-made Kawasaki C-2 military transport aircraft to the Miho airbase in the Tottori Prefecture, located in the Chūgoku region.

The Miho airbase has become the first place of deployment of these aircraft, the Kyodo news agency reported today.

Three Kawasaki C-2 jets were delivered to the airbase on Tuesday, while the solemn ceremony of the deployment took place earlier on Thursday.

The new military transport aircraft are expected to be fully checked by September and in December, the aircraft will start taking part in different operations. It is expected that 10 Kawasaki C-2 aircraft will be stationed at Japan's bases by 2020, according to the news agency.

Kawasaki C-2 is an advanced twin-turbofan engine military transport aircraft developed and manufactured by Kawasaki Heavy Industries Aerospace Company.

The 144-feet long aircraft with carrying capacity of over 36,000 tonnes was designed to transport troops and military hardware to distant islands. The aircraft is expected to replace C-1 and C-130 Hercules aircraft.