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| Dornier Seastar (Image: Wiki Commons) |
By Wendell Minnick
Chinese Military Interested in Dornier Seastar Amphib Aircraft
SINGAPORE – A new assembly factory in Wuxi, China, will begin manufacturing the multi-purpose Seastar amphibious aircraft, and the Chinese military is expressing interest in the seaplane.
German-based Dornier Seawings GmbH made the announcement about the plans for joint manufacturing in China during a news conference at the Singapore Airshow. State-owned Wuxi Communications Industrial Group and Wuxi Industrial Development Group partnered with Dornier to create Dornier Seawings Company Ltd. in the city of Wuxi, Jiangsu province.
“A factory is under construction in China and will be open at the end of the year,” said Conrado Dornier, chairman of Dornier Seawings GmbH, Germany. Short- to medium-term production will be in Germany in the beginning, then gradually begin production in China, he said.
Dornier Seawings GmbH in Germany provides the “Seastar program, resources and know-how, while the Chinese partners provide the financial backing and share the entrepreneurial spirit to ensure a proper production set-up and a sustainable business model,” said a Dornier official. Production lines are currently under construction in Germany and China.
Liu Yuhai, chairman of Dornier’s China operation, told Defense News that China is interested in the aircraft.
“We are in communication with the Chinese military,” Liu said.
Read the full story at DefenseNews