Japan’s prototype UH-X multi-purpose helicopter has conducted its maiden flight at the Subaru facility at Utsunomiya on 21 December. 

Reportedly, on December 21, 2018, at the facility of the Japanese corporation Subaru (the former Fuji Heavy Industries corporation, which rebranding in 2017) in Utsunomiya made the maiden flight of the first prototype (number “45001”) of a multi-purpose helicopter under the UH-X program , which is slated to replace the Fuji Heavy Industries/Bell UH-1J utility helicopter in Japanese service.

The UH-X helicopter actually based on the well-known American Bell 412EPI helicopter (the “Japaneseized” version is designated by Bell as 412EXH).

The UH-X, a successor to the UH-1J, would be used by the JGSDF for a variety of missions including transport of goods and personnel.

As previously stated, Bell Helicopter as a long-term partner Fuji Heavy Industries (FHI) was awarded a contract for 150 UH-X multi-purpose helicopters.

A Japanese photographer published photos of the first flight of prototype.

12/21 RJTU
SUBARU UH-X 16：00ごろ、たくさんの社員の皆様に見守られながら
ホバリング、初フライトを行いました。おめでとうございます！！
これからですね！ pic.twitter.com/8KCafxi0Ba

— Tng Rnt Ⅱ (@RntTng) 21 December 2018