Indo
Defence 2016: ShinMaywa inches towards US-2 sale to Indonesia
Jon Grevatt, Bangkok - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly
04 November 2016
Japanese company
ShinMaywa Industries is moving forward with its potential programme to provide
its US-2 amphibious search-and-rescue (SAR) aircraft to Indonesia, industry
officials have told IHS Jane's at the Indo Defence 2016 exhibition
in Jakarta.
The programme features
the initial supply of only three aircraft but has significance for Japan
because it could represent the country's first major international defence sale
since Tokyo lifted the country's long-standing ban on military exports in April
2014.
Masayuki Tanaka, the
manager of ShinMaywa's amphibious aircraft export division, said on 3 November
that although the US-2 is not equipped with any weapons or munitions, the
aircraft is considered by the Japanese government as a defence product because
it is operated by the Japan Self Defense Force.
He added that ShinMaywa
is hopeful that a contract to supply the aircraft to the Indonesian Armed
Forces can be completed soon. "At a government level Japan and Indonesia
are continuing to discuss the US-2 export programme and we hope an agreement
can be reached in 2017."
Impetus in the US-2 sale
to Indonesia was also provided by a defence collaboration deal signed by the
two governments in March 2015 that outlines a commitment from both Indonesia
and Japan to collaborate on military equipment and technologies. To that end,
Tanaka said ShinMaywa is presently talking to Indonesian company PT Dirgantara
about a collaboration programme centred on the US-2.
Tanaka added that, in
addition to Indonesia, "several" Asian countries have expressed
interest in acquiring the US-2. IHS Jane's understands that
Thailand is considering the aircraft for its SAR requirements. Another major
opportunity resides in India.
The Indian Navy is
thought to have a requirement for 12 US-2 aircraft for an estimated USD1.6
billion. Japan and India have been engaged in talks about a potential sale of
the aircraft for some time, although the Japanese Ministry of Defense (MoD)
told IHS Jane's in October that negotiations had stalled due
to Tokyo's requirement to receive greater clarity about the details of India's
US-2i procurement policy.
Original
post: janes.com
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