Five more Dauphin helicopters to serve Japanese in police and firefighting missions

A contract for two new Airbus Helicopters Dauphins, along with deliveries of three Dauphins this month, have underscored the importance of this twin-engine aircraft family in Japan – particularly with the country’s law enforcement and firefighting agencies. The latest order was signed with Japan’s National Police Agency for one H155 version (previously known as the EC155) to be deployed by the Kagawa Prefectural Police, and an AS365 N3+ variant for the Fukuoka Prefectural Police. Both Dauphins are scheduled to be delivered in 2017, and will replace aging aircraft in these operators’ respective fleets. The H155 is Kagawa Prefectural Police’s first Airbus Helicopters-built rotorcraft. This month’s three Dauphin deliveries in Japan involved an H155 for the Hyogo Prefectural Police, one AS365 N3+ received by the Hiroshima Prefectural Police, and an AS365 N3+ for the Nagoya City Fire Department.