Kawasaki P-1

Maritime Patrol Aircraft / Anti-Ship Platform

Japan | 2013

"The Kawasaki P-1 has been developed as an in-house, next-generation Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force maritime patrol platform."

Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 10/15/2019 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site; No A.I. was used in the generation of this content.

Image from the United States Department of Defense DVIDS imagery network.

Maritime patrol remains a hugely important facet of defense, particularly for island nations such as Japan and especially with the growing power of China in the region. To date, the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) has relied on the American-originated Lockheed P-3 "Orion" (P-3C models) system for the role though this offering was introduced back in the early 1960s. In search of a more modern platform - and with no real viable options available from overseas suppliers - Japanese authorities looked to an indigenous offering which has become the Kawasaki P-1. First flight of the line (XP-1) was recorded on September 28th, 2007 and development remains ongoing as of this writing (February 2014). The first two units were passed on to the JMSDF in March of 2013. Testing revealed several issues of note which have hampered larger-scale acceptance and usage to date.

As its core, the P-1 is a four-engined, jet-powered maritime reconnaissance platform outfitted with the latest in information tracking/gathering/interpretation. On the whole, the design is given a highly conventional arrangement with a forward-set cockpit, streamlined tubular fuselage and single-finned tail unit (with applicable horizontal tailplanes). The main wing assemblies are low-mounted monoplanes featuring sweep and each wing is given a pair of underslung nacelles housing 2 x IHI Corporation XF7-10 series turbofans.

For the maritime patrolling requirement, the P-1 will be outfitted with an all-modern AESA (Active Electronically-Scanned Array) radar system (Toshiba HPS-106). Coupled with several onboard detection systems, the P-1 will be able to track and identify various on-water and underwater threats including marauding enemy submarines, relaying this information to weapon operators, accompanying attack units or observers elsewhere. From there, the P-1 will also be granted support for its own ordnance delivery capabilities to engage targets. Indeed, a 20,000lb ordnance-hauling capability will be available in the form of torpedoes, naval mines, depth charges, anti-ship and air-to-surface missiles. An Electronic CounterMeasures (ECM) suite will provide self-protection from incoming threats facing the aircraft. A typical crew for the P-1 platform will include two pilots and up to eleven mission specialists.

The installed IHI XF7-10 series turbofans are rated at 13,500lb of thrust each allowing for a maximum speed of 620 miles per hour with a cruising speed closer to 515 miles per hour. Range is listed at 45,000 miles with a service ceiling of 44,200 feet.

Since 2013, procurement has netted some 10 total units for testing and evaluation. Once the aircraft passes all requisite phases, it will become a fixed component of the Japanese defense umbrella to coincide with several incoming next-generation designs of note.

Content ©MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.

July 2015 - It was announced that the P-1 had made its public debut, this at the Royal International Air Tattoo (RAF Fairford) in England. The Royal Air Force has expressed some interest in the P-1 series to fulfill its own maritime patrol needs. These would succeed the Nimrod line in the same role.

April 2017 - It was revealed that Kawasaki may target the export market with its P-1 aircraft.

June 2017 - The Kawasaki P-1 has made its public debut at the 2017 Paris Air Show.

May 2018 - The Japanese Navy has, on hand, about fifteen combat-ready P-1 aircraft. Eventual fleet size has yet to be determined by the service.

January 2019 - The Japan Ministry of Defense has earmarked funds for five upcoming fiscal years to procure up to twelve KHI P-1 maritime patrol platforms.

October 2019 - Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI) is looking to evolve the P-1 maritime platform into an Electronic Warfare (EW) offshoot.

Power & Performance
Those special qualities that separate one aircraft design from another. Performance specifications presented assume optimal operating conditions for the Kawasaki P-1 Maritime Patrol Aircraft / Anti-Ship Platform.

4 x IHI Corporation XF7-10 turbofan engines developing 13,500 lb of thrust each.
Propulsion

621 mph
1,000 kph | 540 kts
Max Speed

44,291 ft
13,500 m | 8 miles
Service Ceiling

4,971 miles
8,000 km | 4,320 nm
Operational Range

City-to-City Ranges
Operational range when compared to distances between major cities (in KM).

NYC

LON

PAR

BER

MOS

TOK

SYD

LAX

NYC

Structure
The nose-to-tail, wingtip-to-wingtip physical qualities of the Kawasaki P-1 Maritime Patrol Aircraft / Anti-Ship Platform.

13
(MANNED)
Crew

124.7 ft
38.00 m
O/A Length

116.5 ft
(35.50 m)
O/A Width

39.4 ft
(12.00 m)
O/A Height

176,370 lb
(80,000 kg)
MTOW

Design Balance
The three qualities reflected below are altitude, speed, and range. The more full the box, the more balanced the design.

RANGE

ALT

SPEED

Armament
Available supported armament and special-mission equipment featured in the design of the Kawasaki P-1 Maritime Patrol Aircraft / Anti-Ship Platform .

STANDARD:
Mission equipment as needed to identify, track and engage surface and submarine threats.

OPTIONAL:
AGM-84 Harpoon anti-ship missiles, ASM-1C anti-ship missiles, AGM-65 Maverick air-to-surface missiles, MK 46, Type 97 and G-RX-5 torpedoes, naval mines, depth charges and sonobouys as needed.

Variants
Notable series variants as part of the Kawasaki P-1 family line.

P-1 Base Series Designation.

XP-1 - Prototype Designation.

Operators
Global customers who have evaluated and/or operated the Kawasaki P-1. Nations are displayed by flag, each linked to their respective national aircraft listing.

Total Production: 33 Units
Contractor(s): Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI) - Japan

[ Japan ]

Relative Max Speed

Hi: 750mph

Lo: 375mph

Aircraft Max Listed Speed (621mph).

Graph Average of 563 MPH.

Era Crossover

Showcasing Aircraft Era Crossover (if any)

Max Alt Visualization

Production Comparison

33

36183

44000

Entry compared against Ilyushin IL-2 (military) and Cessna 172 (civilian) total production.

MACH Regime (Sonic)

Sub

Trans

Super

Hyper

HiHyper

ReEntry

♦

Aviation Timeline

EarlyYrs

WWI

Interwar

WWII

ColdWar

Postwar

Modern

Future

♦

1 / 2

Image from the United States Department of Defense DVIDS imagery network.

2 / 2

Image from official Kawasaki marketing material.

❮ ❯

Mission Roles
Some designs are single-minded in their approach while others offer a more versatile solution to airborne requirements.

ANTI-SUBMARINE WARFARE

ANTI-SHIP

RECONNAISSANCE

Recognition
Some designs stand the test of time while others are doomed to never advance beyond the drawing board; let history be their judge.

Military lapel ribbon representing modern aircraft

Going Further...
The Kawasaki P-1 Maritime Patrol Aircraft / Anti-Ship Platform appears in the following collections:

HOME

AVIATION INDEX

AIRCRAFT BY COUNTRY

AIRCRAFT MANUFACTURERS

Disclaimer | Privacy Policy | Cookies

2025 Military Pay Scale Military Ranks U.S. DoD Dictionary Conversion Calculators Military Alphabet Code Military Map Symbols US 5-Star Generals WW2 Weapons by Country

The "Military Factory" name and MilitaryFactory.com logo are registered ® U.S. trademarks protected by all applicable domestic and international intellectual property laws. All written content, illustrations, and photography are unique to this website (unless where indicated) and not for reuse/reproduction in any form. Material presented throughout this website is for historical and entertainment value only and should not to be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance, or general operation. We do not sell any of the items showcased on this site. Please direct all other inquiries to militaryfactory AT gmail.com. No A.I. was used in the generation of this content.

Part of a network of sites that includes Global Firepower, WDMMA.org, WDMMW.org, and World War Next.

©2024 www.MilitaryFactory.com • All Rights Reserved • Content ©2003-2024 (21yrs)