Now, Rapid Dragon promises to turn C-2 transports into C-2 bombers. Japan is converting two of its helicopter carriers, the Izumo and Kaga, to carry F-35B Lightning II fighter bombers, and plans to purchase 400 Tomahawk cruise missiles from the U.S. Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Shelby TuckerĪs China’s military might has grown and North Korea continues to build nuclear weapons, these policy restrictions have slowly gone by the wayside. JS Izumo, seen here from the flight deck of the USS America, has undergone a refit to accommodate F-35B fighters, making it a true aircraft carrier. By comparison, a Japanese F-15J fighter jet can carry at most five JASSM-type missiles. The C-2’s cargo box is smaller than the C-17, but it could probably carry at least two pallets of nine missiles each, for a total of 18. Developed by Kawasaki Aerospace, the C-2 is a two-engine jet transport with a cargo capacity about half that of the American C-17. Japan would use Rapid Dragon on its C-2 transport aircraft. As the pallet descends, missiles begin falling out, their turbine engines activating in midair. Another parachute deploys, orienting the pallet downward and slowing its descent. As the transport nears the drop-off point, the ramp lowers and a drag parachute sucks the pallet out of the plane. The pallets are designed to be quickly wheeled onto the loading ramp of a transport plane.

Rapid Dragon involves placing missiles such as the Joint Air to Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM) on pallets equipped with sets of parachutes.

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