Tokyo Fire Department signs for another Eurocopter EC225

Following the purchase of an EC225 last December after the Great East Japan Earthquake, the Tokyo Fire Department signed a contract for another EC225 in July, to add on to its Eurocopter fleet of fire-fighting helicopters. The 11-ton rotary-wing aircraft from Eurocopter’s Super Puma family will be configured to handle fire-fighting, emergency medical services as well as search and rescue missions. Eurocopter has been providing fire-fighting helicopters to Japan since the first unit, SA3160 Alouette III, was procured by the Tokyo Fire Department back in 1967. Since then, the Tokyo Fire Department has operated a Eurocopter-only fleet, which includes four medium-sized Dauphins and three medium-heavy Super Pumas. The EC225 is set to become a mainstay amongst medium-heavy helicopters in Japan, as five orders have been placed in the last one year by the Japan Ministry of Defense and Japan Coast Guard, in addition to the Tokyo Fire Department’s acquisitions.