AgustaWestland To Supply Two AW139 Helicopters To Japan

AgustaWestland has won a contract for two additional AW139 medium twin helicopters from Japan’s distributor Mitsui Bussan Aerospace. The AW139s will be operated by the Japan National Police Agency (JNPA) to perform multi-role law enforcement missions in the Toyama and Osaka Prefectures. These JNPA helicopters are scheduled to enter operational service in 2014 and represent the first AW139 for the Toyama Prefecture and the second for Osaka Prefecture. This latest order brings the number of medium twin-engine AW139 helicopters ordered by Japanese customers to 40 including eleven for law enforcement. In addition to the Police in Toyama and Osaka Prefectures, the AW139 has also been selected by the Tokyo Metropolitan Police and Police in Chiba, Nagano, Miyagi, Niigata and Hokkaido prefectures. AgustaWestland’s Head of Region, NE Asia, Andrew Symonds, said, “The Company is delighted that JNPA has again selected the AW139 medium twin helicopter for its demanding law enforcement requirement. The AW139, as the market leader, is now considered the medium twin engine helicopter of choice for law enforcement requirements both in Japan and around the world”.