Aircraft
Japan’s New Maritime Patroller Makes International Debut
The Kawasaki P-1 was flown to the UK’s premier airshow, but is an unlikely contender for that country’s maritime aircraft requirement.
The JMSDF sent two Kawasaki P-1 maritime patrol aircraft to the RIAT show in the UK. This one was in the flying display, and included a slow flypast with the weapons bay doors opened. (photo: Chris Pocock)
The JMSDF sent two Kawasaki P-1 maritime patrol aircraft to the RIAT show in the UK. This one was in the flying display, and included a slow flypast with the weapons bay doors opened. (photo: Chris Pocock)

The Kawasaki P-1 maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) is on display outside Japan for the first time this weekend, at the UK’s Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT). The Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) flew two of the four-jet machines across the Pacific, the U.S. and the Atlantic to reach the show at RAF Fairford. They will move on next week to Djibouti for flight tests in hot and desert conditions, before returning to their base at NAS Atsugi outside Tokyo.


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