Do you know what day December 17 is?

The correct answer is “Wright Brothers Day”. This day commemorates the Wright Brothers successfully pulling off the world’s first manned powered flight in the United States on December 17, 1903.

On December 18, 2003, 100 years after this achievement, ShinMaywa succeeded in its maiden flight of the “US-2 STOL Search and Rescue Amphibian” (as “US-1A Kai” was by then renamed).

“Amphibian” refers to an aircraft that has the properties of both an aircraft and a ship, allowing it to touch down not only on land, but also the ocean surface. The amphibian (US-2) manufactured by ShinMaywa is the only one in the world capable of both taking off and landing in the open sea, where waves can be up to three meters high. The US-2 has been operated by the Maritime Self-Defense Force of the Ministry of Defense for rescue operations during maritime accidents, and including its predecessor, the US-1, it has saved many lives over the course of its more than 1,000 missions.

The “US-1A Kai” is the successor to the “US-1A STOL Search and Rescue Amphibian.” Development of the US-1A Kai began in 1996, when ShinMaywa Industries received an order from the Defense Agency (its former name) to serve as the main contractor.

While this aircraft was a remodeling of the US-1A, its development proved as difficult as developing a new aircraft given that it had to meet the three major challenges of improving maneuverability during takeoff and landing, improving the transportation environment for passengers, and both maintaining and improving its offshore rescue capabilities.

After overcoming countless hardships and setbacks, the US-1A Kai successfully completed its maiden flight in December 2003, seven years after the start of its development.

The following March, the first prototype was delivered to the Defense Agency, where it underwent technical and practical tests. It was renamed the US-2 STOL Search and Rescue Amphibian and was officially deployed for use by troops in March 2007 upon receiving approval from the Defense Minister.

The first and second photos show the US-1A Kai on its maiden flight. It was later repainted to feature the same paint scheme as the mass-produced aircraft and is currently in service as the “01” aircraft.