Japan to Continue Production of MSDF US-2 Amphibious Plane

   Tokyo, Sept. 4 (Jiji Press)--The Japanese company making the US-2 amphibious plane will continue its production of the search-and-rescue aircraft used by the Maritime Self-Defense Force, much to the relief of Defense Ministry officials.
   Although the US-2 is the only aircraft in the world capable of landing on rough waves with a height of 3 meters, concerns were rising over the possibility that the aircraft production would be discontinued because new orders had been put off amid soaring production costs.
   The ministry has sought 21.9 billion yen for the acquisition of one US-2 aircraft in its fiscal 2025 budget request.
   The US-2, which can both land on and take off from the sea surface, is used to transport emergency patients from remote islands without runways and from traveling ships, as well as for search and rescue at sea.
   With a maximum flight speed of around 580 kilometers per hour and a maximum cruising range of about 4,700 kilometers, the seaplane can travel longer than helicopters and much faster than ships.

(2024/09/04-10:30)

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