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ShinMaywa Launches New Amphibs Here
Japan’s ShinMaywa Industries is here promoting a new STOL amphibian and an amphibious firefighter airplane. Long renowned for its four-engined US-1A STOL search-and-rescue amphibian — used by Japan’s Maritime Self Defense Force for SAR duties and to transport emergency medical patients from remote islands — the new multipurpose models touted here are based on the US-1A Kai, which first flew at the end of 2003. Firefighting, maritime surveillance, oceanic survey and passenger/cargo transport are among projected roles for the airplane, which ShinMaywa says is the world’s only amphibian capable of landing on the open sea. In firefighting roles the US-1A Kai can scoop 15 tons of water from the sea in a very short time and dump it on a fire via computer-controlled multiple tank doors.
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