Japan has awarded Kawasaki Heavy Industries a contract to produce 17 CH-47 Chinook heavy-lift helicopters for the armed forces.
Under the deal, Tokyo will invest 71.4 billion yen ($458.1 million) for five aircraft in the CH-47J custom-built Japanese variant and 161.1 billion yen ($1 billion) for 12 platforms in the CH-47JA extended-range variant.
The agreement requests the company build the fleet locally and adopt the Chinook Block II configuration, which features a more advanced airframe, fuel system, and drivetrain, increasing the system’s overall weight to boost its lift capability.
Chinook proprietary developer Boeing confirmed Japan’s latest contract in an interview with Janes. This investment makes the East Asian country the fourth international customer to employ the Block II configuration.