Finmeccanica – AgustaWestland and Kanematsu Corporation are pleased to announce that the Japan National Police Agency (JNPA) has ordered one AW109 Power light twin helicopter which will be operated by Kyoto Police. The AW109 Power helicopter will replace an ageing B206 model and will be delivered to the customer in December 2015. The helicopter will be configured for law enforcement missions with role equipment such as a rescue hoist, search light and rappelling kit.
The delivery of this aircraft will bring the total of AW109 series helicopters operating in the law enforcement mission with the JNPA to 27, representing the largest fleet of a single helicopter type in operation with the JNPA and operating prefectures throughout Japan. The AW109 series of helicopters operate in 26 out of 47 prefectures, representing 57% market share. When the AW139 and AW101 types are included the JNPA fleet of AgustaWestland helicopters rises to 39 with a further three helicopters scheduled to be delivered over the next two years. The helicopter with SBAS compatible GPS, which gives the pilot more versatile navigation methods, will be delivered in Autumn 2015 to Japan and configured to JNPA configuration, including the installation of local police radios, by Nakanihon Air Service in Nagoya, one of the authorized service centers in Japan for both AW109 series and AW139 helicopters.
The AW109 Power is a versatile aircraft that offers the highest level of benefits for commercial, government and military markets, combining optimum performance with cost-effectiveness. The Power is valued by operators and pilots alike for its outstanding performance, reliability and ease of maintenance combined with mission flexibility, high speed and productivity. It is single pilot IFR certified and can perform Category “A” take-offs from elevated helipads without any payload reduction, while complying with the European regulations relating to Class 1 performance helicopters. The AW109 Power can be equipped with either Pratt & Whitney or Turbomeca engines controlled by a Full Authority Digital Engine Control (FADEC) system. Pilot workload is reduced by way of a digital glass cockpit with six liquid crystal instrument displays. Over 480 AW109 Powers have been sold to customers in nearly 50 countries so far to perform a wide range of missions including law enforcement, emergency medical service, VIP/corporate transport and other government and military operations. AgustaWestland has continues its success in the Japanese market with strong sales growth of more than 20% annually. The AgustaWestland Japan office was established in Tokyo in 2008 demonstrating its commitment to serve its current and future customers in Japan.
Source / Author: AgustaWestland
Photo: Agustawestland