Hiroshima Prefecture orders AW139 helicopter

AgustaWestland and Mitsui Bussan Aerospace
are pleased to announce that the Hiroshima Prefecture of Japan has signed a contract
for an AW139 helicopter and will enter service in 2012. This aircraft will be
used by the Hiroshima Prefecture Disaster Relief Department to perform fire fighting and disaster
relief missions. This AW139 sale follows an order for the same helicopter type
by the Saitama Prefecture in November and by the Fire and Disaster
Management Agency in April this year and continues the success of the AW139 in the
Japanese market for fire fighting and disaster relief applications.

Andrew Symonds
AgustaWestland’s head of region for NE Asia said
“We are proud to provide the Japanese Government with another AW139 helicopter
to support its range of demanding emergency mission requirements. This
acquisition brings the number of AW139 helicopters ordered by customers in Japan to
thirty, a remarkable number for a helicopter that has only been in service for
a short period of time and confirming the AW139’s position as the most advanced
mission capable helicopter available today in the medium twin class.”