Japan to get new factory for US-2 flying boats by 2029

ShinMaywa Industries plans to build a factory on Kobe Airport Island for final assembly of the US-2 amphibious search-and-rescue aircraft it supplies to Japan’s Ministry of Defense. The company expects to invest several billion yen and aims to begin operating the plant in 2029. ShinMaywa won the right to negotiate for a site of about 17,500 square meters and is considering producing other aerospace components there, including carbon-fiber parts. The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force uses the four-engine aircraft for long-range rescue missions that can require it to land on the open sea.