The ‘World’s Ugliest Plane’ Took Flight over Japan Last Week

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The nose of the EC-2 “Platypus” is filled with cutting-edge electronic equipment—giving it a decidedly non-aerodynamic appearance.

The Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) has a new electronic warfare jet, the Kawasaki EC-2, which has gained some notoriety around the world for its ungainly appearance. Built to conduct standoff electronic warfare missions and capable of disrupting enemy radar, air defense systems, and communications from outside of theater range, the EC-2 is, looks aside, a strategic asset. Development began in 2021 and $260 million was allocated to the program in the FY2025 budget, suggesting that the EC-2 is an important part of the JASDF’s future.

Why Does the EC-2 “Platypus” Plane Look So Weird?

The EC-2 was converted from the C-2 military transport, an indigenous Japanese twin-jet cargo plane........

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