Originally, the N1K was designed as a floatplane fighter. However, it was decided that it wouldn’t be capable enough to replace, for example, the A6M-2N, which was only a floatplane fighter. The N1K aircraft was instead designed to support ground troops until coastal airfields were captured, so that land-based aircraft could be based there. An unsuccessful attempt was made to make the main floats retractable. The first engine was a Mitsubishi MK4C Kasei 13, with a power of 1,460 hp. The fighter was equipped with two 7.7 mm machine guns and two 20 mm cannons.