Shin Meiwa US-1A

PS-1 / US-1A
A US-1A in flight
Role	Air-sea rescue amphibian
Manufacturer	Shin Meiwa
First flight	5 October 1967 (PX-S)
Introduction	1971 (PS-1)
Primary user	Japan Maritime Self Defense Force
Produced	PS-1: 23 US-1: 6 US-1A: 14
Variants	ShinMaywa US-2

The Shin Meiwa PS-1 and US-1A (Japanese: 新明和 PS-1, US-1A) are large STOL aircraft designed for anti-submarine warfare (ASW) and air-sea rescue (SAR) work respectively by Japanese aircraft manufacturer Shin Meiwa. The PS-1 was a flying boat which carried its own beaching gear on board, while the US-1A is a true amphibian.

In 1962, Shin Meiwa flew a flying boat testbed, the UF-XS, converted from a Grumman HU-16 Albatross to build upon its wartime experience (as Kawanishi) and demonstrate its ideas on building flying boats that could land and take-off from the open ocean. It was fitted with a novel boundary layer control system to provide enhanced STOL performance, while the Albatross's two 1,425 hp (1,063 kW) Wright R-1820 radial engines were supplemented by two 600 hp (450 kW) Pratt & Whitney R-1340 radial engines on the aircraft's wings, with an additional 1,250 shp (930 kW) General Electric T58 turboshaft inside the aircraft's hull to drive the boundary layer control system. In 1966, the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) awarded the company a contract to further develop these ideas into an anti-submarine warfare (ASW) patrol aircraft. Two prototypes were built under the designation PS-X and flight tests began on October 5, 1967, leading to an order for production under the designation PS-1 in 1969.

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