Indonesia Could Trump India as Japan’s US-2 Partner
by Neelam Mathews - January 6, 2016, 1:34 PM The sole current operator of the US-2 amphibian is the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF). (Photo: Chris Pocock) India's aerospace industry stands to miss out on a production partnership for Japan's ShinMaywa US -2 amphibian aircraft, according to sources close to the situation. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe visited his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi last month and stressed “the full potential of an India-Japan strategic and global partnership.” However, a deal proposed during their previous meeting in 2014 for final assembly in India of the US -2 remains unsigned. Indian defense industry sources speaking to AIN on condition of anonymity said that the delay might cause the Japanese to turn instead to Indonesia as a production partner. Japan’s Ministry of Defense presented a detailed report on production arrangements for the amphibian in India last year, but ...