Japan's Giant CH-47 Helicopter to Help Fight Forest Fires, Here's Its Profile
Japan will deploy three CH-47 Chinook heavy-lift helicopters belonging to the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) to help Indonesia handle forest and land fires (karhutla) in Kalimantan.
The helicopters will be used to support disaster management operations, including fighting forest fires through water bombing. With its ability to carry large payloads, the CH-47 is considered suitable for disaster operations.
The three CH-47 units are planned to be brought to Indonesia aboard the JS Kunisaki once all deployment preparations are complete.
So, what makes the CH-47 that will be deployed to help extinguish forest fires in Indonesia so formidable?
Giant Helicopter with Two Rotors
Citing Detik.com, which quoted the official website of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF), the CH-47 Chinook is easily recognisable thanks to its distinctive design. The helicopter uses two large main rotors placed at the front and rear of the fuselage.
This tandem rotor configuration allows the CH-47 to generate substantial lift without requiring a tail rotor like conventional helicopters.
The CH-47 was developed by Boeing in the United States. Meanwhile, the CH-47J and CH-47JA variants used by Japan are produced by Kawasaki Heavy Industries under licence from Boeing.
Based on JGSDF specifications, the CH-47JA has an overall length of 30.18 metres, a height of 5.69 metres, and a rotor diameter of 18.29 metres. The helicopter’s maximum weight reaches 22,680 kg, or about 22.7 tonnes.
The helicopter is powered by two T55-K-712 turboshaft engines. The CH-47JA has a cruising speed of about 260 km/h and a range of about 1,040 km.
Its large cabin can carry three crew members and up to 55 personnel, making the Chinook suitable for transporting troops, officers, equipment and aid to hard-to-reach areas.
Can Carry Thousands of Litres of Water
One of the CH-47’s most useful capabilities in dealing with forest fires is carrying large amounts of water.
The JGSDF has previously used the CH-47JA in forest firefighting exercises with a 5,000-litre Bambi Bucket suspended beneath the helicopter’s fuselage.
In such operations, the Chinook can lower the bucket into a water source, fill it, then fly to the fire location to drop the water from the air.
A capacity of 5,000 litres is equivalent to about five tonnes of water in a single lift. This heavy-lift capability is one of the Chinook’s main advantages.
However, it should be noted that Japan has not yet announced the configuration or bucket capacity that will be used by the three CH-47s in the Kalimantan operation.
In addition to water bombing, the Chinook can be used to carry firefighting personnel and equipment to remote areas. This capability is important in handling forest and land fires because some fire hotspots can be far from road access.