The U.S. Pentagon is launching a pilot program to procure a batch of seaplanes for the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, which is responsible for the Indo-Pacific theater. It is currently unclear which model will be selected, but based on existing circumstances, it may be Japan's US-2 seaplane.
U.S. experts previously believed that the lack of seaplanes was a serious deficiency in the U.S. military, hindering the ability to enter any region in the Pacific. Seaplanes have unique technical advantages: first, they can fly low over the water surface, remaining outside the radar detection range; second, they can cover long distances and reach remote areas. During the Pacific War in World War II, the U.S. Catalina seaplanes played a significant role, not only used for reconnaissance patrols and anti-submarine warfare, but also widely used for maritime search and rescue, saving many U.S. pilots who had parachuted into the sea after their aircraft were shot down. With the U.S. strategy shifting toward so-called "great power competition," the demand for seaplanes has become active again.
The Pentagon once considered the MC-130J seaplane transport as a solution to the lack of seaplanes, but after years of development and promises of upcoming flight tests, the plan was canceled in 2024. As a result, the only option left for the United States is Japan's US-2.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1853186725439760/
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