2010-10-26

New Civilian Rescue Flying Boat from ShinMaywa Coming Up

 
ShinMaywa (www.shinmaywa.co.jp) will look for future sales of its civilian version of US-2 flying boat, currently employed for search and rescue aircraft at Japan’s Defense Ministry, by setting a strategic unit price of 7 billion yen (about US$88 million) , 30% off the price of the original defense version.

Bombardier is its main competitor in commercial market; however,ShinMaywa’s is superior in the performance but less competitive in price tag; the Takarazuka, Hyogo-based company redesigns the standard equipments and its production processes to lower unit cost of the aircraft.

US-2 is currently used by Japan Maritime Self Defense Force for rescue mission as well as medical transport from remote islands.  The flying boat can be turned to fire fighting aircraft as well. The company says it has received more than 70 inquiries to the aircraft from southeast Asian, European, and Middle Eastern countries.

US-2 is a follow-up of US-1 flying boat and its orgin dates back to 1960’s PS-1, anti-submarine patrol flying boat. ShinMaywa inherits the engineering experience of Kawanishi Aircraft,  known for successful production of Type-2 flying boat, four-engine large type, used by the Imperial Japanese Navy during WW2 that once flew over Pearl Harbor for reconnaissance missions.

Specifications of US-2
 Crew: 11
 Length: 33.25 m
 Wing span: 33.15 m
 Max take-off weight: 47.7 t
 Max take-off weight (waters): 43.0 t
 Power plant: Rolls Royce AE2100J turboprop (4,591shp) x 4, LHTEC T800 for boundary controlling
 Max speed: 315 kt
 Cruise speed; 260 kt
 Range: 2,500 nm (4,700 km)
 Water take off length: 280 m
 Water landing length: 310 m
 Pressurized cabin
 Glass cockpit

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