Japan Aerospace Corporation (JAC) and Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI) have signed an agreement with DART Aerospace to design and certify a fire attack system for the new five-bladed H145.

The partnership came at the request of DART representative JAC to market a fire attack system for the H145 helicopter in Japan. KHI, who will assemble the new five-bladed H145 in Japan, is partnering with JAC to help test, certify and install the tank with DART on H145.

“This agreement not only creates opportunities for new markets that operate this high performing aircraft, but it also expands DART’s portfolio of products to another popular aircraft model,” says Steve Ghaleb, VP of Sales at DART Aerospace. “This is another example of DART’s longstanding history of partnerships with our clients to collaboratively find solutions for their missions.”

The system will reflect DART’s proven Model 311GII system, designed for the EC145/Kawasaki BK117C- 2 helicopter. The lightweight, belly-mounted Model 311GII Fire Attack System features a 240-gallon (912- litre) main tank and 14-gallon (53-litre) foam tank, a 10-foot-long, five-inch hover pump with a 450 gallon (1,703 litre) per minute pump flow rate, and the ability to deliver multiple drops with one tank load.

“We are excited to work together with DART for a fire attack system solution that serves our H145//BK117D-3 customers in Japan,” says Hiroshi Kuramae, President & CEO at JAC “DART systems are popular here and this new addition will help that popularity grow with a new set of customers.”

FAA certification for the H145 fire attack system is expected by the end of 2022 with Japanese JCAB certification following afterward.