THE SUBARU BELL 412EPX INTRODUCED AS PART OF JAPAN UH-X PROGRAM
Farnborough, United Kingdom (16 July 2018) – At a ceremony held at Farnborough Air Show today, BELL HELICOPTER, a Textron Inc. (NYSE:TXT) company and SUBARU Corporation announced their collaboration on a commercial enhancement of the BELL 412 EPI, which was type-certified this month as the 412 EPX, in support of the Japan UH-X program.
In 2015, Bell’s long-term partner, SUBARU (formerly known as Fuji Heavy Industries), was awarded the contract for the Japan UH-X program to replace Japan Ground Self Defence Force’s (JGSDF) current fleet of UH-1J aircraft with a militarized derivative of the SUBARU BELL 412EPX, which will enable the JGSDF to protect and save lives across its challenging topography, while addressing Japan’s unique requirements.
With improved performance and safety features, the SUBARU BELL 412 EPX will also provide more capability while maintaining its long-established reputation for utility and reliability for commercial customers.
“Our relationship with SUBARU extends over six decades. Together, we were the first to deliver military helicopters to Japan’s defense force. We look forward to continuing our successful collaboration on the UH-X and the 412 EPX Programs.”