Five decades of partnership between Kawasaki Heavy Industries and Airbus Helicopters

Airbus Helicopters and Kawasaki Heavy Industries have been working together on the H145 family of helicopters for almost 50 years - a relationship that was forged with the introduction of the first helicopter of the H145 family, the BK117. It was the beginning of a success story as the partners came together to celebrate the delivery of the 2000th H145 to the Swiss air rescue operator, Rega, with the global fleet having reached 8 million flight hours. 

"We are proud and honoured to celebrate nearly five decades of partnership with Kawasaki Heavy Industries on our H145 family of helicopters, which brings together the best of Airbus’ and Kawasaki’s technologies, performance and industrial capabilities," said Axel Humpert, Head of the H145 programme at Airbus. "I would like to thank Kawasaki Heavy Industries for their commitment and the journey of continuous improvement we have shared to make the H145 the world's most successful light twin helicopter."

“The BK117/H145 family has an excellent reputation with our customers in Japan, among other countries, and the latest version has been a real game changer for operators across the globe. Its current global success is the result of the combined efforts of both companies and their long-standing partnership,” said Katsumi Tamura,  Director Helicopters Business Group at Kawasaki Heavy Industries. “We are proud and honoured to be part of this great team and on behalf of Kawasaki Heavy Industries, I would also like to thank Airbus Helicopters for their amazing support and cooperation, which has been indispensable to us throughout the years.”

A long history of global success marked by key enhancements 

In 1974, discussions began between the German company, Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm (MBB), one of the founding companies of Airbus Helicopters, and Kawasaki Heavy Industries to jointly develop a multi-mission helicopter. Three years later, in 1977, MBB and Kawasaki signed the cooperation agreement for the BK117 programme - the B standing for Bölkow and the K for Kawasaki. The prototype completed its maiden flight in 1979, with more than 400 BK117s eventually being produced for customers worldwide.

To meet the requirements of  customers and operators of the helicopters, the teams in Japan and Europe worked to further improve the robust multi-purpose rotorcraft, resulting in the development of the EC145. The aircraft, which received type certification in 2000, came with a number of benefits, including an enlarged cabin, increased  speed and useful load, and reduced sound levels. 

In 2014, the H145 came to life, with innovations that include the Helionix avionics suite with a 4-axis autopilot, high-performance Safran Arriel 2 engines with digital control and a Fenestron shrouded tail rotor. In 2020, the five-bladed H145 was introduced - an innovation that increases the aircraft’s capabilities and facilitates maintenance. 

A collaboration that makes missions possible

The aircraft’s certification and subsequent developments were game changers for operators worldwide and a testament to the ongoing collaboration with Kawasaki Heavy Industries. Since the launch of the H145 family, Kawasaki Heavy Industries has been a key player, providing vital parts such as the helicopter's airframe and main gear box. Thanks to this collaboration, operators have been able to perform a long list of critical missions, including helicopter emergency medical services, law enforcement, aerial work, or offshore transport.