OREANDA-NEWS. Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. announced today that they delivered the 100th unit of the CH-47J/CH-47JA transport helicopter to the 1st Helicopter Brigade of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF). Kawasaki produces the helicopter for the JGSDF and the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF).

Introduced by the JGSDF to replace the older V-107 transport models, the CH-47J/JA is a tandem rotor helicopter with rotor blades in both the Forward and the Aft. This model has a large ramp door in the Aft Section to facilitate easy loading/unloading of cargo and so forth, and it performs excellent maneuverability and stability. The CH-47J/JA is used for disaster relief, personnel transport, international missions and a wide range of other operations.

Kawasaki launched the production of the CH-47J under the license from the Boeing Company in the United States 1984. Since FY 1986, Kawasaki has delivered a total of 69 units of both the CH-47J and the CH-47JA (an upgraded version of the CH-47J equipped with a larger fuel tank to enable greater flight range) to the JGSDF. Between FY 1986 and FY 2012, the company also delivered 31 units to the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF).