ShinMaywa US-2

In 1969, the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) issued a production order to Japanese seaplane manufacturer Shin Meiwa for a group of 21 anti-submarine aircraft, which were given the designation PS-1. In December 2003, flight testing of the type began, which was designated the US-2. The US-2 was designed with the capability to land in waves up to in height, corresponding to sea states of 4 to 5. In early 2007, ShinMaywa launched commercial production of the amphibian. Production is handled by several of Japan's aviation companies. Mitsubishi manufactures the outer wing sections and the rear part of the engine nacelles. NIPPI Corporation builds the watertight landing gear housings, and Kawasaki Heavy Industries produces the cockpit. Final assembly is performed by ShinMaywa around the US-2's hull. The production line can produce two aircraft at a time. In 2010, ShinMaywa unveiled specifications for a civil fire-fighting variant of its US-2 amphibian. It began marketing the new variant to potential overseas customers that same year. The fire-fighting model replaces one fuel tank with a 15 tonne water tank, reducing its maximum range to 2,300 km (1,245 nm) compared with the SAR's 4,700 km range. The tank is durable enough for salt water, foam and fire retardant. Other features include a pair of water scoops for collecting water, automatic foam mixing equipment and a computer-controlled water drop system. ==Operational history==

Japan The JMSDF intends to purchase up to 14 US-2s for its search and rescue needs. The type is operated by the 31st Fleet Air Wing (71st Air Force, 71st Flight Squadron) of the JMSDF from both Iwakuni Air Base and Atsugi Air Base. The introduction of the US-2 has enabled the withdrawal of the US-1A, the last of which performed its final flight in December 2017. By November 2018, six US-2s had been delivered, with two aircraft under production. In April 2015, aircraft number 9905 was involved in an accident. Local news programs showed the aircraft floating nose down in the ocean. It was on a training mission near Cape Ashizuri in Shikoku, and was either taking off or landing when it sustained significant damage, reportedly having lost an engine. Four of the nineteen occupants were injured, but all were rescued successfully. The aircraft was written off. Export opportunities India Since the early 2010s, the Indian Navy has an established requirement for between 12 and 18 US-2 amphibians configured as search and rescue aircraft, at an anticipated cost of US$1.65 billion. The Indian Coast Guard has also shown interest in procuring three aircraft for its own purposes. Indian authorities have reportedly been keen to have the US-2 assembled in India via a licensing arrangement. Performing final assembly of the aircraft locally is expected to cost 25% less than in Japan. The process of finalising purchase arrangements for the aircraft, which would represent the first sale of military equipment by Japan to India since the Second World War, have been protracted. In October 2016, ShinMaywa reduced the offered price to around US$113 million per aircraft. At one point, there were expectations that Japan and India would be signing a contract for the US-2 purchase in November 2016. The decision was deferred by Indian defence minister, Manohar Parrikar. In March 2018, Japanese ambassador to India Kenji Hiramatsu informed The Hindu Business Line that talks between the two nations were still in progress. In April 2018, ShinMaywa signed a memorandum of understanding with Indian conglomerate Mahindra Group in support of future Indian sales. As of 2021, further negotiations were stopped due to disagreement on pricing. The deal had failed at that stage. Indonesia Another prospective customer is Indonesia, which saw the need for an amphibious multipurpose aircraft that could also perform aerial firefighting. Japan offered the US-2 in May 2015 as part of a defense cooperation agreement with Indonesia. Around the same time, the Indonesian Air Force is also interested on acquiring Beriev Be-200 for firefighting. In August 2016, Japan proposed to sell three US-2 for US$100 million each. Reportedly, without implementing outsourced production, ShinMaywa is unlikely to be unable to promptly fulfil the needs of a third customer due to its limited production capacity. Indonesia ended up choosing the Viking Air CL-515 in June 2019. Others In 2016, Thailand expressed interest in purchasing a number of US-2s as maritime patrol aircraft. Thailand is reportedly seeking to bolster its surveillance and anti-submarine warfare capabilities while developing deeper defense ties between itself and Japan. In July 2018, following a series of deadly fires in the Attica region of Greece, the Greek government reportedly sought to order several US-2s to replace their aging firefighting fleet. If the sale is completed, it would be the first major defense procurement by Greece from a Japanese supplier. ==Operators==

; • Japan Maritime Self Defense Force ==Specifications (US-2)==