The Japan Defence Agency (JDA) plans to acquire 26 helicopters in fiscal year 2003, including its first Kawasaki-built AgustaWestland EH101 and 10more Mitsubishi-built Sikorsky UH-60s.
The JDA says the first of 11 planned Rolls-Royce RTM322-powered EH101s will be acquired this year, delivered in FY2005 and deployed the following year. The EH101s will replace 11 Sikorsky MH-53 mine countermeasures helicopters.
Industry sources expect the JDA to acquire its second EH101 in its next fiscal year and wait until FY06 to procure the third. The JDA's five-year spending plan, which runs to March 2006, includes only two EH101s. The schedule for buying the other nine will be set in the next mid-term defence programme, which runs from April 2006.
The EH101 will also replace three Antarctic support Sikorsky S-61s. These will be education department-funded and the first may be acquired in FY05, say industry sources.
This year, the JDA is also acquiring seven SH-60Ks for the Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force (JMSDF), two UH-60Js for the Japan Air Self-Defence Force (JASDF) and one UH-60JA for the Japan Ground Self-Defence Force (JGSDF).
Mitsubishi has built UH-60s since 1988, but this could end within a few years in favour of a new-generation search and rescue helicopter. The JDA says the JMSDF and JASDF have begun preliminary H-60 replacement studies, with a possible acquisition to begin in the next five-year plan. "Each staff office is now considering when to replace this aircraft," says the JDA. Mitsubishi is also studying possible replacements and says the first UH-60s will have to be retired in 2009-10.
Mitsubishi expects the JMSDF to select a larger replacement helicopter than the JASDF, but the JDA may require them to choose a single platform. A selection is not expected until at least 2005.
The JDA is also acquiring this year two Kawasaki OH-1 observation machines, two Boeing AH-64D Apache Longbows, six Fuji-built Bell UH-1Js and five Kawasaki-built Boeing CH-47Js.
Source: Flight International
