Kawasaki Heavy Industries has announced that they have received an order from Fukuoka City for the five-bladed H145 (aka BK117 D3) for firefighting and disaster prevention . This is the Japanese manufacturer’s first order for a D3 in the firefighting / disaster prevention role, something Japan is well known for.

Fukuoka City Fire Department Fire Fighting Air Corps (福岡市消防局消防航空隊) have been a loyal Airbus customer over the years. They took delivery of their first helicopter – an Alouette III – in 1975, selling it when they acquired an N1 Dauphin in 1990. The fleet expanded to two helicopters from 1997 when they added an N2. The current fleet of two N3 Dauphins were acquired in 2008 and 2018 as the fleet was renewed, and we assume the older of these two will be replaced when the D3 is delivered. It will also be the first time that they can take advantage of an Airbus helicopter built locally in Japan under licence by Kawasaki.

Kawasaki has received a total of eight orders to date for the D3.