SINGAPORE – A joint venture between ST Engineering and a Singapore-based start-up has secured its first order for a purpose-built craft that skims above the waves using the aerodynamic effects of flying at low level. 

The joint venture company, ST Engineering AirX, signed a letter of intent (LOI) on Feb 21 at the Singapore Airshow with Eurasia Mobility Solutions in Turkey for an order of up to 10 AirFish Wing-in-Ground (WIG) craft with options for 10 more.

The value of the craft was not disclosed.

ST Engineering AirX, which manufactures the AirFish family of WIG craft, will customise and deliver the 10-seat AirFish 8 to Eurasia Mobility Solutions progressively from 2025 to serve Turkey’s tourism and private transportation sectors.

Mr 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.”

Mr Jeffrey Lam, president of commercial aerospace at ST Engineering, said: “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.”

The Airfish family of WIG craft operates on the principle of ground effect to skim just above the surface. Ground effect is the name given to the positive influence on the lifting characteristics of an aircraft’s wing when it is close to the ground.

This is because air beneath a wing is compressed by proximity to the ground, creating a cushioning effect and increasing the lift generated by the aircraft’s wing. This is the same principle of flight used by large-bodied birds such as the albatross to conserve energy while staying in the air. 

Mr Leon Tan, general manager of ST Engineering AirX, told The Straits Times that by operating just above the waves, WIG craft also have the added advantage of not needing extra energy from its engines, which is required by seagoing vessels to overcome hydrodynamic drag – the force generated by water that opposes the direction of motion of boats and ships. 

The Airfish 8 being ordered by Eurasia Mobility Solutions measures 17m long and 15m wide. It is designed to be operated by two crew, with a carrying capacity of six to eight passengers.

The craft is powered by an eight-cylinder automotive engine that runs on 95-octane unleaded petrol, which enables it to skim above the waves at 90 knots (167kmh) and to distances of up to 300 nautical miles (555km), which is significantly faster that the typical seagoing fast ferries that tend to travel at 30 knots. 

As it takes off and lands on water, the Airfish family of WIG craft does not need airport infrastructure like runways to operate, and can load and unload passengers on beaches if no piers are available. 

Airfish 8 is designed and built to adhere to the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) guidelines, and Mr Tan said that the next step for ST Engineering AirX is to get the Airfish 8 certified as a Type A WIG in accordance with IMO classification, which is for craft that is operated only in ground effect. 

Singapore’s association with the Airfish WIG craft started in 2004, when Wigetworks acquired all patents, intellectual property rights and know-how for the design and production of all Airfish types of WIG craft from Germany’s Airfoil Development GmbH, along with the licence and exclusive rights to market and distribute Airfish technology worldwide.

The first Airfish 8 made its first test flight in October 2016 and has since undergone extensive testing outside of Singapore.

ST Engineering’s commercial aerospace business formed ST Engineering AirX with Peluca (formerly Wigetworks) in 2023 to tap the potential of WIG technology and commercialise the AirFish family.

Mr Tan sees a variety of applications for the Airfish WIG craft going forward, with possible cargo versions and scaled-up craft with potential for search and rescue as well as military applications. 

“The goal of ST Engineering AirX is not just to get the Airfish flying safely, but also to be disruptive in the maritime travel industry,” he said.