Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI) has delivered its first XOH-1 prototype scout helicopter to the Japan Defence Agency (JDA), marking a major landmark for the country's first indigenous rotary-wing aircraft development programme.
Japan's parliamentary under-secretary for defence, Katsuhito Asano, used the delivery ceremony to re-affirm Government support for the programme, despite a planned cutback in defence expenditure. He gave no indication, however, of the total number of tandem-seat OH-Is the Japan Ground Self-Defence Force (JGSDF) planned to acquire.
The JDA has already secured sufficient funds in this year's budget to order an initial three production helicopters and is requesting additional funding in fiscal year 1998 to purchases a further Ìve machines. It is unclear whether the JGSDF will be able to order sufficient numbers of OH-1s to replace its fleet of 185 Kawasaki/McDonnell Douglas OH-6Ds on a one-for-one basis.
Handover of the first of four XOH-1 prototypes clears the way for the JDA's Technical Research Development Institute (TRDI) to begin two years of operational test flying, which will include environmental testing and expansion of the basic flight envelope. KHI plans to deliver the remaining three test helicopters by August.
According to KHI, the four prototypes have now accumulated 150h flight time since the twin-engine type first flew in early August 1996. An estimated 10h of company flight testing remains to be completed at KHI's Gifu plant, before the last XOH-1 is delivered to the JGSDF's Akeno AB and responsibility passes to the TRDI.
The lead prototype has undergone 50h of performance validation, reaching a speed of 120kt (200km/h) and a maximum design altitude of 10,000ft (3,000m). The twin-turbine helicopter has also been engaged in single-engine tests and emergency autorotation descents.
KHI's second XOH-1 has accumulated 40h of load and vibration testing, while a third prototype has amassed a similar amount of flight time during functional tests of navigation, communication and sensor systems. The fourth machine is being used for mission adaptability and weapon handling, such as lock-on tests using the Toshiba Type 91 infra-red air-to-air missile which will arm the OH-1.
Source: Flight International
