Japan’s Fire and Disaster Management Agency (FDMA), has placed an order for an Airbus H160, marking the agency’s first acquisition of the type.
The new aircraft will be based in Kumamoto prefecture on Kyushu, the southernmost of Japan’s home islands, and will be operated alongside the , FDMA’s existing AS365 N3+ which it acquired in 2018. The H160’s primary role is expected to be rapid aerial reconnaissance and real-time visual intelligence gathering during major natural disasters, including large-scale scenarios such as a potential Nankai trough megaquake.
“We are deeply honoured that our long-standing customer, the FDMA, has chosen the H160 to expand their fleet and carry forward their mission-critical work. By integrating this aircraft, the FDMA will significantly enhance its operational readiness and reduce emergency reaction times,” said Jean-Luc Alfonsi, Managing Director of Airbus Helicopters in Japan commenting on the order announcement. “We are seeing strong and growing interest in the multi-mission H160 across Japan. To ensure these vital aircraft perform flawlessly on every life-saving mission, we are fully committed to supporting the expanding fleet through our dedicated H160 centre of excellence in Kobe”.
Image: Airbus
