According to The War Zon reporters, the world’s «ugliest» military aircraft recently took to the skies for the first time. This new aircraft is the Kawasaki EC-2, a Japanese electronic warfare plane with a distinctive design marked by its massive nose cone.

The publication describes the EC-2 as a «radical exception» in the typically uniform world of military aircraft designs. Built on the platform of the C-2 transport plane, the EC-2 is designed to create electromagnetic interference, effectively disrupting enemy communications and radar while staying out of range of their air defense systems. The development of the EC-2 began in 2021, with its first flight taking place at a base in Gifu Prefecture.

A Japanese official explained that the C-2 transport plane was chosen as the base platform due to its strong flight characteristics, payload capacity, and cost efficiency. The new aircraft boasts a significantly higher payload capacity compared to its predecessor. The EC-2 can carry nearly 36 tons of cargo, with a maximum takeoff weight of around 141 tons.

Visually, the EC-2 stands out with its large, protruding nose and distinctive fuselage fairings, which conceal the aircraft’s electronic warfare equipment.

According to The War Zon, Japan plans to purchase four of these aircraft to replace its outdated EC-1 model. The 2025 fiscal year budget includes approximately $260 million for the development of this project, which is part of a larger $3.2 billion modernization program aimed at upgrading the country’s intelligence and surveillance systems.