Japan Air Self-Defence Force CH-47J Ordered

The Japan Air Self-Defence Force element of Japan CH-47 Block II order covers five aircraft, complementing the larger Ground Self-Defence Force batch within the same 17-helicopter procurement. JASDF Chinooks support base resupply, air base survivability operations and disaster relief, and the Block II standard brings a stronger airframe and greater payload. The aircraft will be produced under licence in Japan by Kawasaki Heavy Industries, sustaining a domestic assembly line that has built Japanese Chinooks since the 1980s.