J.G.S.D.F HELICOPTER SET

Japanese Self-Defense Forces Japan Self-Defense Force, JSDF for short ), and more specifically their land component, that is the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF), from the 1950s and 1960s attached considerable importance to the use of helicopters. On the one hand, this was due to the topographic conditions of the Japanese islands, which are mountainous areas, where air transport is often a tactical necessity. On the other hand, helicopters were relatively quickly perceived as a very effective weapon against enemy armor. Again - the topography of the Japanese islands and their considerable forestation favored the use of helicopters in this role. These factors affect the development of the JGSDF helicopter forces to this day. It is assumed that the JGSDF currently has a wide range of rotorcraft, including: 12 Boeing AH-64 DJP machines, the Japanese version of the popular Apache, 88 AH-1S Cobra helicopters, but also over 40 Kawasaki OH-1 helicopters Ninja or nearly 60 CH-47 Chinook machines in the J and JA versions. It is worth adding that all the above-mentioned machines are licensed by Japanese plants - primarily Fuji and Kawasaki. It can be estimated that there are currently about 500 helicopters of various types at the JGSDF.