Japanese aerospace manufacturer ShinMaywa Industries announced plans in November 2026 to construct a new manufacturing facility on Kobe Airport Island. The expansion is designed to scale assembly of the US-2 search-and-rescue (SAR) amphibious aircraft for the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) and accommodate long-term growth across civil and defense aerospace component manufacturing.
Under the municipal development framework, ShinMaywa was selected as the preferred negotiator to lease approximately 17,500 square meters of industrial land on the artificial island’s airport sector under a 50-year lease term. Supported by a multi-billion yen capital investment, operations at the new Kobe plant are targeted to commence in 2029. The facility will enhance ShinMaywa’s final assembly capacity for the four-engine STOVL-capable flying boat while providing high-end manufacturing space for tier-1 commercial and defense aerostructures.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS: SHINMAYWA US-2 AMPHIBIOUS AIRCRAFT ARCHITECTURE
Platform Classification & Industrial Manufacturing Framework
⚡ Aircraft OEM: ShinMaywa Industries, Ltd. (Hyogo, Japan)
⚡ New Facility Location: Kobe Airport Island (Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture)
⚡ Projected Operational Timeline: Targeted production capability by 2029
⚡ Site Footprint & Lease Scope: ~17,500 sq meters; 50-year industrial lease agreement
⚡ Primary Operator: Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF / 31st Fleet Air Wing)
⚡ Operational Roles: Open-ocean Air-Sea Rescue (ASR), disaster relief, maritime patrol, tactical medical evacuation, and potential amphibious transport 
Kinematics, Boundary Layer Control & Hydro-Aerodynamic Profile
💥 Hydrodynamic Hull Design: Deep-V hull equipped with proprietary spray-suppression grooves and wave-deflection chines, enabling rough-sea takeoffs and landings in wave heights up to 3.0 meters (Sea State 5)
💥 Boundary Layer Control (BLC) System: Powered by a dedicated onboard LHTEC T800 turboshaft engine (1,364 shp) that blows high-pressure compressed air over the wings and high-lift flaps to prevent airflow separation during extreme low-speed maneuvers
💥 Propulsion Baseline: 4× Rolls-Royce AE 2100J turboprop engines (4,592 hp each) driving 6-bladed Dowty R414 composite propellers
💥 Short Take-Off and Landing (STOL) Kinematics:
• Water Takeoff Distance: 280 m (920 ft) at loaded weight
• Water Landing Distance: 330 m (1,080 ft) at loaded weight
• Low-Speed Stall Limit: Exceptionally low stall speed of 49 knots (90 km/h) via BLC actuation
💥 Range & Service Ceiling: Maximum operational ferry range of 4,700 km (2,300 nmi); service ceiling of 23,600 ft (7,195 m)
TIMES OF DEFENCE ASSESSMENT
ShinMaywa’s expansion on Kobe Airport Island holds major tactical and industrial significance for amphibious aerospace capabilities:
1. **Securing Sovereign Industrial Mass in a Niche Defense Sector**: Globally, large-scale open-ocean amphibious aircraft production is restricted to only two primary manufacturers: ShinMaywa in Japan and AVIC (TA600/AG600) in China. Investing in a new production facility ensures Japan preserves critical sovereign engineering expertise and assembly throughput for high-sea amphibious platforms.
2. **Elevating Indo-Pacific Maritime SAR and Littoral Mobility**: The US-2’s capability to operate in rough open-ocean conditions (Sea State 5) makes it an invaluable asset for long-range air-sea rescue across the First Island Chain and remote southern maritime territories. Expanding production lines allows Japan to maintain high operational readiness for JMSDF fleets and support growing joint exercise commitments (such as Balikatan drills in the Philippines).
3. **Dual-Use Industrial Diversification and Export Positioning**: Beyond assembling the US-2 for the Ministry of Defense, the Kobe plant is structured to produce aerostructures for civil aviation and uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) programs. Expanding physical manufacturing capacity gives ShinMaywa the industrial footprint required to fulfill potential international defense orders or co-production agreements as Japan eases defense export restrictions.
