New firefighting helicopter for Shizuoka City
The aircraft will be delivered in 2026, and will be used to respond to wildfires and other disasters
Kawasaki Heavy Industries has received an order for a new H145/BK117 D-3 helicopter from Shizuoka City, in the Chubu region of Japan.
The aircraft, scheduled for delivery in March 2026, will be used to conduct aerial firefighting and disaster response missions.
The rotorcraft features a rear cargo door for easy loading and unloading, and has a cruise speed of 263km/h, with a range of 723km using a normal fuel tank.
Kawasaki also delivered another H145/BK117 to Japanese helicopter operator Central Helicopter Service in February, for use in air ambulance operations.
Oliver Cuenca
Oliver Cuenca is a Junior Editor at AirMed&Rescue. He was previously a News and Features Journalist for the rail magazine IRJ until 2021, and studied MA Magazine Journalism at Cardiff University. His favourite helicopter is the AW169 – the workhorse of the UK air ambulance sector! He also led the creation of Waypoint: The AirMed&Rescue podcast, serving as its Production Editor and co-host.