일본의 민수용 수송기, YCX 개발 소식...

 

일본 Kawasaki 중공업이 개발한 군용수송기 XC-1 을 해외 파트너를 선정, 민수용으로 개발 수출하고자 한다는 AW&ST 6월 14일字

기사를 소개합니다.

 

기사에 의하면, YCX 라는 민수용 모델명으로 2026년까지 약 230대는 판매가 가능할 것으로 예상한다고 합니다. 이를 위해서 해외의

유력 제작사와 제휴를 통한 (JV, Joint Venture) 개발을 희망하고 있으며, 향후 해외 수출시장에서 현재 자체적으로 수송기를 개발 및

제작하고 있는 러시아와 중국은 제외할 것이라 합니다.

 

또한 YCX 의 경우 최대탑재중량은 약 140톤으로, 이는 현재 EADS/Airbus Military 社가 개발중인 A400M 수송기와 거의 동급의 중형

수송기라 합니다. 그리고 엔진의 경우, XC-1 에 채용된 General Electric CF6-80 계열을 그대로 장착할 계획이라 합니다.

 

개인적인 생각입니다만, YCX 의 엔진이 이미 결정된 상태라면, YCX 개발사업은 예상외로 신속하고도 순조롭게 진행될 것으로 전망

됩니다.

 

한편 일본의 또 다른 항공기 제작사 ShinMaywa Industries, Ltd (新明和工業) 가 개발, 해상자위대가 운용 중인 수륙양용기 US-2

역시 민수용으로 전환, 판매할 계획이라는 언급도 있습니다.

 

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Civil Spin-Off

Japan looks at getting Western support for its proposed civil airlifter

Aviation Week &Space Technology, 06/14/2010

Author: Bradley Perrett

 

Kawasaki Heavy Industries is considering a joint venture with a foreign aerospace company to build and support a minimum-change civil version of its XC-2 airlifter, the YCX.

 

The partner would share the cost of increasing the production rate beyond the two to four aircraft a year that Kawasaki would handle on its own, in addition to an intended Ministry of Defense order for up to 40 aircraft of the military version.

 

Kawasaki would handle sub-assembly, design, development, systems procurement, sales and marketing, while the partner performs final assembly, some manufacturing, flight testing and adaptation to special missions. Both would make parts and support the aircraft in service.

 

The proposal aims to improve the marketability of the aircraft by harnessing the support infrastructure of an established Western manufacturer.

 

Kawasaki does not name potential partners, and it is not clear whether it has identified any, but the aircraft would fit well as a big brother to any civil versions of the Lockheed Martin C-130J or Embraer’s proposed KC-390. Bombardier and Alenia also focus on the commercial aircraft market.

 

The YCX would have a maximum weight of about 140 tons, almost the same as the Airbus A400M. The Boeing C-17 weighs up to 265 tons at takeoff, the Ilyushin Il-76TF 210 tons and the Antonov An-124 about 400 tons.

 

The role of the YCX should be strictly civilian. With the election of the Democratic Party of Japan last year, it is no longer clear that there will be an early move to relax a ban on military exports, despite a push in the former Liberal Democratic Party administration to do so (AW&ST, June 1, 2009, p. 25).

 

The aircraft would address a market for 230 units up to 2026, according to the industry’s coordination body, the Japanese Aircraft Development Corp. (JADC), in a report to a meeting of government, academic and industry officials reviewing the programs.

 

That market forecast excluded Russia and other parts of the former Soviet Union, which could be expected to buy Russian and Ukrainian aircraft. It also ignored China, which is developing its own jet airlifter and would never buy Japanese aircraft even if it were not (AW&ST Nov. 26, 2009, p. 26).

 

The YCX would replace An-124s, Il-76s and L-100s civil variants of the C-130 Hercules, Kawasaki says.

 

A JADC survey of about 50 potential buyers in the U.S., Europe and Middle East revealed interest in the aircraft for transporting semi-conductor production equipment, electrical generators, excavators, aerospace parts and race horses.

 

Moreover, little modification would be necessary. “A converted XC-2 freighter has the possibility of entering [the] civilian freighter market in almost the same configuration,” Kawasaki says.

 

The configuration does not need to be changed, says Kawasaki. But it adds that “different cargo bay specifications” could be needed for transporting structures.

 

The XC-2 may be better suited for civil use than other military airlifters, since it uses commercial engines (a pair of General Electric CF6-80C2s) and has light and simple landing gear without unneeded soft-surface capability.

 

On the other hand, the short production run of the military version raises the question of whether the aircraft could be built at anything like a competitive price.

 

The cargo bay cross section — 4 X 4 meters (13 X 13 ft.) — is very close to that of the A400M, but the length — 16 meters, not counting the loadable 5.5-meter ramp — is less.

 

A key requirement for it to go ahead with the project is getting certification with data held by the Ministry of Defense, Kawasaki says in a document presented at the same meeting.

 

The ministry says it supports the idea of civilian sales of the aircraft to help preserve the industrial base and to reduce unit costs.

 

About 300 companies supply the XC-2 and the related project for the Kawasaki XP-1 maritime patroller, the manufacturer says.

 

But a third Japanese military airplane, the ShinMaywa US-2 search and rescue flying boat, is also a candidate for civilian work, in fire-fighting, passenger transport or multi-purpose versions.

 

The ministry has ordered five of the aircraft, which, with four Rolls-Royce AE2100J engines and a gross weight of 47.7 tons, is closely comparable to the 49 ton Jiaolong flying boat under development by China’s Avic General Aircraft (AW&ST, Sept. 28, 2009, p. 34).

 

The Japanese Aerospace Development Corp. forecasts demand for 130 medium fire-fighting aircraft in this category by 2025.

 

As with the YCX, the clear challenge for the Japanese manufacturer is to cut production costs enough to support competitive pricing. The ministry says it is paying 10 billion yen ($109 million) for each US-2, including equipment provided by the government.

 

ShinMeywa says the cost could fall to 3 billion yen per unit if the US-2 replaced all 180 comparable water-bomber flying boats currently in service.

 

The passenger US-2 is intended to carry tourists to Japan’s remote islands and would seat up to 38. If it enters airline service, it would be the first flying boat to do so since the Short Solent of 1946.

 

 

  Kawasaki C-1 ⓒ Ken FUJII

 

  Kawasaki XP-1 ⓒ Ken FUJII

 

  Kawasaki XP-1 ⓒ Ken FUJII

 

  Kawasaki XP-1 ⓒ Ken FUJII