BRENDAN SOBIE / SINGAPORE
Trading company Kawasho aims to enter helicopter in competitions at JASDF and JMSDF to select new SAR aircraft
NH Industries (NHI) has launched a campaign in Japan to sell the NH90 as a potential replacement for Mitsubishi-built Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawks.
Industry sources say NHI stakeholder Eurocopter last month authorised Japanese trading company Kawasho to market the NH90 in Japan. Kawasho aims to enter the NH90 in competitions at the Japan Air Self Defence Force (JASDF) and Japan Maritime Self Defence Force (JMSDF) to select a new search and rescue (SAR) helicopter.
Sources say Kawasho has already approached Fuji Heavy Industries to gauge its potential interest in a local manufacturing role. Fuji, which has not yet decided whether to pursue a partnership agreement with NHI, could licence-build the NH90.
Mitsubishi is partnered with Sikorsky and plans to offer either a new variant of the UH-60 or licence-built S-92s, while Kawasaki is partnered with AgustaWestland and plans to propose licence-built EH101s.
AgustaWestland is an NHI stakeholder, but NHI is free to compete against AgustaWestland and Eurocopter helicopters. AgustaWestland typically plays a lead marketing role where NHI and Eurocopter are contenders, while Eurocopter plays a lead role where NHI and AgustaWestland are contenders.
The JASDF and JMSDF now operate about 65 UH-60 helicopters and are expected to hold separate competitions between 2005 and 2007 to select a replacement.
Some circles within JMSDF are suggesting a larger helicopter than the UH-60, which could establish the EH101 as the front-runner as it has already been selected to replace JMSDF's fleet of 11 Sikorsky MH-53 mine countermeasures helicopters.
"JMSDF doesn't like to have many types of helicopters," says an industry source. "They have two kinds already and they don't want a third."
NHI commercial manager Renaldo Begozzi confirms Eurocopter is evaluating the potential of the market, but adds that a formal request for proposals is not expected until 2006. "The Japanese government has proposed having one industry leader, either Fuji or Kawasaki, and we would expect to link with one of these," says NHI.
The JASDF is expected to require a new SAR helicopter that is similar in size to the UH-60. As a result, a new UH-60 variant based on the SH-60K is considered the early favourite.
Source: Flight International
