The Japan MoD said that aircraft like the EP-3, the EW variant of the P-3C Orion, itself being replaced by the P-1 where it uses both the U.S.-origin planes, do โnot meet the functions and performance requirements of the JMSDFโ, and would also be โdifficult to maintainโ in the mid-2020sโ. Meanwhile overseas airborne EW planes and technology are โdifficult to acquireโ.
Japan is advancing its own domestic Electronic Warfare (EW) plane, based on its indigenously-developed Kawasaki P-1 Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA). Its Ministry of Defence (MoD) has sought $292 million for Fiscal Year 2025 to acquire an EW plane for the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF). The country has seen persisting military threats from Russia, North Korea and China.
Reports quoting the Japan MoD budget document said that Tokyo aims to strengthen โcapabilities to gather information on electromagnetic wavesโ which is โnecessary for electronic jamming and electronic protection.โ The war in Ukraine has shown the significant impacts of Russian EW, which has had a devastating impact on Ukrainian battlefield communications and drone operations.
The PLA Air Forceโs Y-9LG electronic attack and EW plane that made an appearance during Chinese military drills with Thailand in August, has been assessed to be a long-range jamming platform by The War Zone. The U.S. Air Forceโs Air Combat Command welcomed its first EA-7B Compass Call at the Davis-Monthan AFB on Aug. 23, 2024.
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๐ข#๏ผๆใงใใใ้ฒ่ก็ใป่ช่ก้ ๏ผ
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้ฒ่ก็ใงใฏ้ป็ฃๆณข้ ๅใฎๅชๅขใ็ขบไฟใใใใใ็ธๆๆนใฎใฌใผใใผๅฉ็จใ้ไฟกใ็กๅนๅใใ่ฝๅใๆใใ่ฃ
ๅๅใๆดๅใใใชใฉใ้ปๅญๆฆ่ฝๅใฎๅผทๅใซๅใ็ตใใงใใพใใ#้ป็ฃๆณข #้ปๅญๆฆ https://t.co/cTSWv1Vn2c pic.twitter.com/mCbSrbNcZb
โ ้ฒ่ก็ใป่ช่ก้ (@ModJapan_jp) March 28, 2024
โNeed homemade electronic warfare systems and aircraftโ
The Japan MoD document, noting that there are โmulti-purpose aircraft (EP-3, etc.),โ adds โnone that meet the functions and performance requirements of the JMSDF.โ Additionally, โit will become difficult to maintain these multi-purpose aircraft in the mid-2020s.โ โSimilar equipment and electronic warfare aircraft from overseas are difficult to acquire due to their defense sensitivity.โ
The EP-3 is the Communications, Signals and Electronic Intelligence (COMINT, SIGINT and ELINT) version of the P-3C Orion Maritime Patrol Aircraft. Japan operates both the EP-3 and the P-3.
The P-1 plane meanwhile first flew in September 2007 and the JMSDF received the first two units on Mar. 27, 2013.
Japan aims to replace about 80 of its aging P-3C Orion MPAs with about 70 P-1 aircraft, according to The Japan Times.
Given that the P-1 MPA is meant to replace the P-3C Orion, it can stand to reason that the new P-1 based EW plane is also being evolved as a substitute for the EP-3. This is especially at a time of increasing North Korean cruise and ballistic missile launches, which require persistent monitoring on Pyongyangโs radar, communications emissions and the missilesโ telemetry data being beamed back to the ground control centers. It must be clarified that this particular document in question does not specifically mention either China, Russia or North Korea. Thus the Japan MoD โaims to reduce development costs by utilizing the results of previous research into next generation electronic intelligence gathering aircraft.โ
An โelectronic warfare aircraft will be developed based on the P-1 by the required time, incorporating the electronic intelligence gathering capabilities of utility aircraft that are expected to be decommissioned around the 2020s, and contributing to strengthening the electromagnetic domain capabilities necessary for cross-domain operations.โ
The image of the planned EW-capable P-1 shared by the Japan MoD on X, showed the aircraft with hemispherical bump-shaped radomes under the chin, on the top fuselage, spine and multiple blade-shaped antennae on the underbelly and the top and bottom tail line.
Capable aircraft with all-Japanese systems
The P-1 has the distinction of being purpose-designed as a MPA (Maritime Patrol Aircraft), and not converted for the role like Boeing P-8 Poseidon used by the U.S., Indian Navy or Royal Australian Navy. The P-8 is derived from the Boeing 737-800 airliner. The P-1 also flies with an indigenous IHI Corporation F7-10 turbofan in a four-engine configuration installed on low-set wings, with the powerplant too specifically developed for the P-1.
The Full Authority Digital Engine Control (FADEC)-enabled F7s have a high bypass ratio of 8:1, according to Japanese reports, and enable a cruising speed of 830 km/h and a maximum speed of 996 km/h. This makes it 1.3 times faster than the P-3C Orion, can operate at higher altitudes and has surveillance endurance of 10 hours.
According to a Sep. 2015 report in the International Institute of Strategic Studies (IISS), the P-1 was also, at least at the time, the only aircraft in the world to use โfly-by-opticsโ Flight Control System (FCS). This uses fiber-optic cables, which minimizes electromagnetic interference in comparison to traditional metal wirings. Some of its major electronics and avionics are also domestically-developed. This includes a Toshiba HPS-106 AESA (Active Electronically Scanned Radar), a Fujitsu HAQ-2 FLIR (Forward-Looking Infrared), a Mitsubishi Electric HLR-109B ESM (Electronic Support System) and a Kawasaki HAS-108 data link suite.
During its development phase in April 2004 as the โP-Xโ program when Japan and the U.S. were discussing synergizing it with the U.S. Navyโs Multi-Mission Aircraft (MMA), the Japanese MoD decided to persist with their own effort. โThere was a possibility that foreign aircraft would not satisfy the required capability and there was a possibility that foreign aircraft would not meet the required period of introductionโฆit is necessary to domestically develop the aircraft,โ FlightGlobal quoted the Japan MoD.
Foreign pitches
Japan has long been trying to find international customers for the P-1. In a Feb. 2024 report, Italian Air Force officer Brigadier General Francesco Agresti identified the Kawasaki P-1 among the Boeing P-8A Poseidon and Leonardoโs C27J being considered for a new MPA and ASW (Anti-Submarine Warfare) platform.
In January 2017, New Zealand was reported to be the first to be offered the P-1, along with Japanโs other indigenously-developed medium-tactical transport aircraft, the C-2 to allow commonality between their surveillance and transport aircraft that would ease maintenance and logistics.
However, in 2018, New Zealand selected the P-8A Poseidon. Reuters and The Diplomat also reported in April 2018 and June 2016 that Japan was looking at France and Thailand as potential buyers.
