Singapore Airshow 2024: ST Engineering sees route for AirFish 8 milita…

ST Engineering AirX has signed a letter of intent (LOI) with Eurasia Mobility Solutions for an order of up to 10 AirFish wing-in-ground (WIG) craft. (ST Engineering)

ST Engineering is considering military sales for its AirFish 8 wing-in-ground (WiG) effect craft even as it announced on 21 February that it had received a letter of intent (LOI) for its first commercial order.

Designed to take off and land on water, the AirFish 8 has been developed as a commercial WiG craft capable of carrying up to 10 passengers, including crew members, or 1,000 kg of supplies at a speed of 90 kt. A company representative told Janes at the Singapore Airshow 2024, held from 20 to 25 February, that military applications and sales are now being considered for the craft.

“Since a JV [joint venture] was signed in 2023, our objective has been to achieve commercial sales of the AirFish 8. We see a pathway to potential military use through commercial sales of the platform,” the company representative said.

The JV was signed with Peluca, formerly known as Wigetworks Private Limited.

In keeping with its plans to proliferate the technology through commercial sales, ST Engineering said on 21 February that its JV company, ST Engineering AirX, has signed an LOI with Eurasia Mobility Solutions for an order of up to 10 AirFish craft.

The LOI has “options for 10 more”, the company said, adding that under the agreement, ST Engineering AirX “will customise and deliver the 10-seater AirFish 8 to Eurasia Mobility Solutions progressively from 2025”. The statement stated that these aircraft will “serve” Turkey's tourism and private transportation sectors.