ec155

Eurocopter Japan has secured a contract from Japan’s National Police Agency to supply four helicopters, two medium-class and two twin-engine light helicopters.

The new rotorcraft, EC155 B1, AS365 N3+, EC135 P2e, will be used to replace ageing aircraft in the fleets of Hyogo Prefectural Police, Hiroshima Prefectural Police, Osaka Prefectural Police and Fukuoka Prefectural Police.

The new EC155 B1 from Eurocopter’s Dauphin family of rotorcraft will be the National Police Agency’s (NPA) first acquisition of this type.

EC155 B1 will also be the first Eurocopter rotary-wing aircraft to be operated by Hyogo Prefectural Police, and is scheduled to be delivered in 2015.

The AS365 N3+ will be delivered to Hiroshima Prefectural Police in 2015, while Osaka Prefectural Police and Fukuoka Prefectural Police will receive their respective EC135 P2e in 2014.

NPA currently operates a fleet of 29 Eurocopter light-twin and medium-class helicopters across the country.

The aircraft are used for police activities including crime-prevention, investigative search and security patrols, as well as other public service missions such as life-saving operations and transportation.

Eurocopter Japan president and CEO Stephane Ginoux said: "We are very honored to have signed the contract with NPA, which shows the trust they have in our products and appreciation of our total-support service commitment."

The EC155 B1 and AS365 N3+ aircraft are from Eurocopter’s Dauphin line, with the EC155 B1 being the enhanced version equipped with the advanced technologies.

The EC155 B1 features a spacious cabin that can accommodate up to 15 persons and is suitable for multi-mission use; it is well-known for its low vibration and quietness as it incorporates Fenestron tail rotor.

Dauphins aircraft are particularly used for police, fire-fighting, disaster management and news gathering activities and currently there are 57 Dauphin helicopters operating in Japan.

Equipped with state-of-art technology, including Eurocopter’s Fenestron tail rotor, the EC135 is a light twin-engine rotorcraft with a low noise level compared with other helicopters in the segment.

Capable of performing various missions with good fuel efficiency, it is widely used for law enforcement and emergency medical services worldwide.

There are currently 75 EC135s operating in various types of missions in Japan.


Image: The new EC155 B1 will be the National Police Agency’s (NPA) first acquisition of the variant. Photo: courtesy of Eurocopter Japan, Chikako Hirano.

Defence Technology