ST Engineering announced that its joint venture (JV) company, ST Engineering AirX, has signed an LOI with Eurasia Mobility Solutions for an order of up to 10 AirFish Wing-in-Ground (WIG) craft with options for 10 more. Under the agreement, ST Engineering AirX, original equipment manufacturer of the AirFish family of WIG craft, will customise and deliver the 10-seater AirFish 8 to Eurasia Mobility Solutions progressively from 2025 to serve Turkey’s tourism and private transportation sectors.
The WIG craft is a groundbreaking marine craft that utilises aerodynamic forces and air pressure generated between itself and a water surface to reduce induced drag and achieve a more fuel efficient, high travel speed. Leveraging its original equipment manufacturing and certification expertise, ST Engineering’s Commercial Aerospace business formed ST Engineering AirX with Peluca in 2023 to tap the potential of WIG technology and commercialise the AirFish family of WIG craft.
Kubilay Ilgin, founder of Eurasia Mobility Solutions, said, “We are happy to introduce an innovative transportation model using a brand-new technology to Turkey, a country surrounded by the sea on three sides. As an alternative mode of transportation, AirFish 8 offers a safe, sustainable and faster solution to conveniently reach places without any port or runway. Faster than existing air and marine travel options, this new technology will change the rules of marine transportation and create new trends in Turkey.”
“We are excited to be working with Eurasia Mobility Solutions to introduce our new WIG platform which has the potential to reinvent marine transportation for Turkey’s maritime sector,” said Jeffrey Lam, President of Commercial Aerospace at ST Engineering. “This is a significant milestone for ST Engineering’s Commercial Aerospace business as we scale up our engineering and original manufacturing capabilities to develop more innovative and sustainable solutions that connect people and goods along some of the earth’s vast coastal areas.”
Designed to take off and land on water, AirFish WIG craft avoids the need for infrastructure such as an airfield, making it a more convenient option not only for maritime public transport, but also the delivery of parapublic and logistics services as well as potential military applications in littoral waters.
AirFish 8 can carry up to 10 passengers including crew members or 1,000 kg of logistics, and can travel up to 90 knots, making it one of the fastest marine craft operating in the seas. Integrated with state-of-the-art aerospace and marine technologies, the marine craft serves as a viable and attractive alternative to ferries, helicopters and seaplanes, and is slated for certification and entry into market by 2025.
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