Friday, January 16, 2009

Japan Places First Order With Eurocopter / Japan Military Picks Eurocopter EC135 Helicopters For First Time: Official

Japan Places First Order With Eurocopter / Japan Military Picks Eurocopter EC135 Helicopters For First Time: Official (NSI News Source Info) TOKYO - January 16, 2009: Japan's military will for the first time buy helicopters from Eurocopter, ordering training choppers from the unit of European aerospace giant EADS, officials said Jan. 16. Japan's defense ministry said on its Web site that it selected the EC135 Eurocopter as part of "bidding for training helicopters for the Maritime Self-Defence Forces," pacifist Tokyo's official name for its navy. (Photo/Image: Eurocopter EC135 P2 of the German Police). The EC 135 is a twin-engine civil helicopter produced by Eurocopter, widely used amongst police and ambulance services, and for executive transport. It is capable of flight under instrument flight rules (IFR). The EC135 can trace its history back to before the formation of Eurocopter. It was started as the BO 108 by MBB of Germany in the mid-eighties. A technology demonstrator ('V1') flew for the first time on 17 October 1988, powered by two Allison 250-C20R/1 engines. A second BO 108 ('V2') followed on 5th June 1991, this time with two Turboméca TM319-1B Arrius engines. Both these machines had a conventional tail rotor. Japan buys most of its military equipment from the United States, with which it has a security alliance. Eurocopter, part of the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company, which includes Airbus, was bidding for the contract against British-Italian firm AgustaWestland. French Transport Minister Dominique Bussereau, visiting Tokyo for talks on global warming, welcomed the deal. "I have thanked Japan," Bussereau said. "This is a very major contract as it marks the first time that Eurocopter has signed a contract with the Japanese navy." Eurocopter has sold choppers in Japan since 1964 but until now has sold only for civilian use. The value of the contract has yet to be decided. Industrial sources said Japan would initially buy two choppers, but that the order could go up to 15. The order comes as a European consortium including EADS tries to sell to Japan its Eurofighter jets. Japan has been seeking the next-generation U.S. F-22A Raptor, which can evade radar detection at supersonic speeds. But the U.S. Congress forbids any exports of the advanced stealth jets.

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