There are not many countries in the world today that can develop and produce seaplanes, but Japan is one of them. Currently, the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Forces are using ShinMaywa US-2 multipurpose amphibious aircraft for their needs. There are five such aircraft in the naval aviation of the fleet. In 2013, the Japanese government funded the purchase of the sixth ShinMaywa US-2 seaplane worth 12.5 billion yen (about $ 156 million), a price tag that makes the US-2 the most expensive amphibious aircraft in the world.
Currently, this seaplane is actively promoted for export and there is interest in it on the international market. India, Indonesia, and Thailand are showing significant interest in the seaplane. India was the closest to the purchase, a Japanese seaplane won in 2014 a tender for the supply of an amphibious search and rescue aircraft, in total, India could purchase from 6 to 15 such aircraft, but the deal has not been concluded so far. In January 2017, information appeared that the official Delhi was frightened by the cost of the Japanese seaplane, which ShinMaywa calls the best in the world, it should be noted not without reason. In terms of seaworthiness, none of the serial seaplanes of our time can compete with the Japanese design.
Thailand showed interest in the rescue version of the ShinMaywa US-2 seaplane in June 2016. In the same year, but already in August, representatives of the Indonesian Ministry of Defense held a meeting with their Japanese counterparts to discuss the purchase of military products, including the US-2 amphibious aircraft. Indonesia was also interested in this aircraft in the aspect of conducting search and rescue operations at sea. This is where the circle of potential buyers of the Japanese seaplane ends.
ShinMaywa Industries has a long history and vast experience in creating amphibious aircraft for various purposes and sizes. The company was founded back in 1949, while it became the heir to another Japanese aircraft manufacturer - Kawanishi Aircraft Company, which by that time had already become famous for its large flying boats, eventually turning into a diversified industrial conglomerate and one of the flagships of the Japanese industry. During the Second World War, she was the main supplier of flying boats for the Japanese military, her engineers designed the giant N8K "Emily" seaplane, which was recognized as one of the best flying boats of those years.
Since then, ShinMaywa has successfully maintained its unique specialization in seaplane aviation. It should be noted that this is a fairly narrow niche on a global scale. In 1962, the company began testing an experimental four-engine turboprop flying boat UF-XS (brand designation SS1), which featured an innovative wing boundary layer control system. The UF-XS flying boat used a two-spar wing with slats and two-section flaps with a boundary layer blowing system. The implemented boundary layer blowing system provided the aircraft with better controllability at low flight speeds, including during takeoff and landing. To increase stability, floats were installed on the wing. The boundary layer blowing system is still a signature feature of ShinMaywa's seaplanes. The UF-XS was designed by Shizuo Kukihara, the creator of the former large amphibious aircraft of the Kawanishi company.
After that, by order of the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Forces, a large anti-submarine four-engine turboprop flying boat PS-1 (brand designation SS2) was created and mass-produced on the basis of the UF-XS. From 1967 to 1978, 23 aircraft of this type were assembled in Japan. On the basis of this seaplane, a search and rescue version of the US-1 / US-1A (SS2A) was also created, it was mass-produced from 1975 to 2004, during this time 20 aircraft were built, they were finally decommissioned only by the end of 2017 … The new ShinMaywa US-2 flying boat is the most modern upgrade of the US-1A aircraft.
Work on the further development of the US-1A seaplane started in Japan in 1996. In the course of these works, the ShinMaywa US-2 amphibious search and rescue aircraft appeared (originally it bore the designation US-1A Kai; company designation SS3). The aircraft, intended for the Japanese fleet, is produced literally by the piece. From 2004 to 2017, Japanese naval aviation received two experimental and five production US-2 aircraft. Funding for the sixth aircraft in the amount of $ 156 million was made in 2013. At the same time, one of the serial seaplane crashed on April 28, 2015. As part of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Forces, US-2 amphibious aircraft are in service with the 71st Search and Rescue Squadron of the 31st Fleet Aviation Wing, they are based in order at the air bases in Atsugi and Iwakuni.
One of the reasons for the intensification of work on the creation of a modernized version of the four-engine seaplane US-1A was the lack of funding for the creation of a new amphibious aircraft US-X. Assembly of the first prototype of the new aircraft began in 2000. On April 22, 2003, the first prototype was officially rolled out at the Konano aircraft plant near the city of Kobe. In addition to prototypes, two amphibious aircraft fuselages were also created for static tests. The first flight of ShinMaywa US-2 made on December 18, 2003, it lasted only 15 minutes. Official military tests of the novelty began in April 2004, since 2007 the aircraft has been serially produced.
The aircraft received a fully sealed cockpit, more powerful Rolls-Royce AE2100J engines, developing a power of 4600 hp. each, the cockpit received new equipment. The principle of "glass cockpit" has been implemented; the crew members have modern LCD panels at their disposal. A large number of improvements were made to the aircraft design, allowing to expand the possibility of its use in inclement weather (based on the operating experience of predecessor aircraft). The design of the wings was also changed, with the fuel tanks integrated into them. In addition, the US-2 is the only seaplane in the world with a Boundary layer control (BLC) system, which is powered by an additional 1364 hp LHTEC T800 engine. Thanks to this system, the aircraft can fly at a very low speed (about 90 km / h) and take off and land from the water, being content with a very short distance.
The ShinMaywa US-2 amphibious aircraft is a four-engine cantilever high-wing aircraft with a straight wing, floats and a T-shaped tail to increase stability on the water. The fuselage is sealed all-metal type semi-monocoque. The installation of new Rolls-Royce AE2100J turboprop engines has increased the cruising and top speed of the aircraft. The aircraft can accelerate in the sky up to 560 km / h, the cruising speed is over 480 km / h. At the same time, he can cover distances of more than 4500 km. The Japanese seaplane is large enough. The maximum length of the US-2 is 33.3 meters, the wingspan is 33.2 meters, the maximum take-off weight is 47.7 tons. In terms of its size and weight, it surpasses its two main competitors - the serially produced CL-415 (Bombardier) (Canada) and Be-200 (Russia) seaplanes. But very soon it will give up the palm to another production model - the Chinese AG600 amphibious aircraft, which made its first flight on December 24, 2017.
A distinctive feature of the Japanese amphibious aircraft US-2 is its excellent seaworthiness. This is the only aircraft in the world that can take off and land on water in a sea state of 5 points and a wave height of 3 meters. The manufacturer emphasizes the fact that the aircraft can be operated at wave heights up to 1/3 of the aircraft's height (the US-2 is 9.8 meters high). This is especially important for a search and rescue vehicle, which is designed to help and save lives, even in harsh conditions. For comparison, the Be-200 can be used only at wave heights up to 1.2 meters.
Indicative is the participation of US-2 in an Indian tender for an amphibious search and rescue aircraft, which a Japanese seaplane won in 2014, although the supply contract has not yet been concluded. In addition to US-2, the tender was attended by the Canadian company Bombardier Aerospace with a Bombardier 415 aircraft, JSC Rosoboronexport and JSC TANTK named after G. M. Beriev with the Be-200 aircraft and the American firm Dornier Seaplane Company, which proposed an updated project of the SeaStar CD2 aircraft. As experts noted, with the appearance of the Japanese US-2 in the Indian tender, its result was a foregone conclusion in favor of the latter. This is due to the fact that ShinMaywa's US-2 amphibious aircraft delivers outstanding takeoff and landing performance through the use of a unique wing-based boundary layer control system powered by an additional fifth engine and superior seaworthiness that outperforms the competition. A Japanese seaplane with a takeoff weight of 43 tons is able to take off from the water with a takeoff run of only 280 meters and land with a run of 330 meters.
In addition to the existing search and rescue version of the US-2 amphibious aircraft, ShinMaywa has been promoting two other aircraft versions since 2006 - a passenger version (with a capacity of 38 to 42 seats) and a fire-fighting version. The seaplane can be confidently called multipurpose, after minor upgrades it can be used to transport passengers and cargo, transport the wounded and injured, patrol the ocean and use it to help victims of emergencies. In 2010, the aircraft manufacturer declared the cost of the flying boat in the "commercial" version at 7 billion yen (about $ 90 million).
Flight performance of ShinMaywa US-2:
Overall dimensions: length - 33.3 m, height - 9.8 m, wingspan - 33.2 m, wing area - 135.8 m2.
The empty weight of the aircraft is 25,630 kg.
Maximum takeoff weight - 47,700 kg.
The power plant is a 4-turbine Rolls-Royce AE2100J with a capacity of 4600 hp. each.
Auxiliary power unit - LHTEC T800 with 1364 hp.
The maximum speed is 560 km / h.
Cruising speed - 480 km / h.
Practical range - more than 4500 km.
Practical ceiling - 7195 m.
Allowable wave height (seaworthiness) - 3 m.
Takeoff run (takeoff from water) - 280 m.
The length of the run (landing on water) is 330 m.
Passenger capacity - 20 people or 12 wounded on stretchers.
Crew - 3 people.
