Kawasaki OH-1

OH-1
A Kawasaki OH-1 on display
Role	Scout/observation helicopter
Manufacturer	Kawasaki Aerospace Company
First flight	6 August 1996
Introduction	2000
Status	In service
Primary user	Japan Ground Self-Defense Force
Produced	1996–present
Number built	38 as of 2013
Unit cost	$24.3 million (2013, estimate)

External video

Kawasaki OH-1 Public Flight Demonstration

OH-1 Performing Maneuvers and Landing

The Kawasaki OH-1 (nickname: "Ninja") is a military scout/observation helicopter developed and manufactured by the Kawasaki Aerospace Company. The primary operator is the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF), who originally procured the OH-1 as a domestically-produced successor to their existing OH-6D Loach fleet. The OH-1 has the distinction of being the first helicopter to be entirely produced in Japan.

In addition to its use an observation helicopter, it can also be armed with various munitions to directly participate in combat; such weapons include a limited quantity of anti-tank missiles or air-to-air missiles for self-defense purposes. Several variants of the OH-1 have been proposed, these have included derivatives of the type to serve as an attack helicopter as well as an aborted project to develop utility helicopter based on OH-1. As of March 2014, a total of 38 OH-1s have entered service with the JGSDF, so far these have complemented the existing OH-6Ds rather than replaced them.

During the late 1980s, the JGSDF developed a requirement for a new scout/observation helicopter to replace its Kawasaki license-built OH-6Ds, which became the OH-X programme. In June 1989, the JGSDF announced their intention to pursue the development of the OH-X. Several proposals to meet the OH-X requirement were submitted by Kawasaki, Fuji and Mitsubishi. In 1991, Kawasaki's proposal was selected by the JGSDF's Technical Research and Development Institute as the prime contractor for the OH-X programme. On 18 September 1992, the Kawasaki design formally appointed by the Ministry of Defense as the winner. Kawasaki was made responsible for producing 50 per cent of the airframe, as well as coordinating development of the rotor system; the remaining airframe elements were manufactured by Mitsubishi and Fuji. Development was formally launched in October 1992.

In early 1996, the first OH-1 prototype was rolled out. On 6 August 1996, the first of four OH-1 prototypes (designated XOH-1) performed the type's maiden flight. All four prototypes were flying by March 1997. The four prototypes were delivered to the Japanese Defence Agency for service testing from June to August 1997. By April 1998, flight testing of the prototypes was reportedly around half way complete, having accumulated a combined 400 flight hours during testing, further tests focused on flight validation, operational evaluation, and mission equipment functionality. These four prototype aircraft were all later remanufactured to conform to production standards and redelivered under new serial numbers to the JGSDF.