The US Army has awarded Bell Textron a contract to provide three 412EPX medium utility helicopters as part of the agency’s foreign military sales program.
The $37.7-million order will be delivered to an undisclosed recipient due to “potential customer sensitivities,” the US Army Cargo Helicopters Project Office told FlightGlobal.
Concurrently, a US Department of Defense representative confirmed that the platforms will be distributed to more than one buyer.
“This contract is for three helicopters, and was awarded to serve multiple Foreign Military Sales customers,” the news agency said, citing its source.
“However, their names cannot be listed due to agreements with the partner nations concerning contracting activities.”
Work for the agreement will be facilitated at Bell’s facility in Fort Worth, Texas, until December 2025.
EPX for Japan
Days after the US government announced the contract, EPX co-producer Subaru revealed it had signed a deal to supply two of the aircraft to the Japan Coast Guard.
The EPX airframes tailored for the East Asian military are based on the Bell 412 commercial variant and are specifically offered for the Japanese market.
Upon the helicopters’ arrival, the Japanese Coast Guard will have six EPXs. The service currently employs more than 40 of the base 412 system and its older version, the 212.
Subaru-Bell’s 412EPX
The EPX is a 56-foot (15-meter) system that features a cargo hook capacity of up to 5,000 pounds (2,268 kilograms) and space for up to 15 passengers.
It has cockpit technology incorporating touchscreen flight monitors and four large-screen high-definition displays that can be used for navigation, digital maps, and simulation.
The helicopter is equipped with a Pratt & Whitney engine for a range of 415 miles (669 kilometers), a flight time of about four hours, and top speed of 161 miles (259 kilometers) per hour.
