Subaru
The carmaker descended from wartime Nakajima still builds aircraft: the Japanese army’s new UH-2 helicopter with Bell, and the centre wings of Boeing’s 777 and 787.
Subaru: the company and the aircraft that made its name
A car badge on a helicopter
Most people know Subaru for rally cars and estate wagons, but the company’s roots are in aircraft. It descends from Nakajima, one of Imperial Japan’s two great aircraft makers, broken up by the Allied occupation after 1945. Five of the pieces came together in 1953 as Fuji Heavy Industries, which built trainers, helicopters and airliner parts alongside its cars. On 1 April 2017 the whole group took the name of its car brand, and the Subaru name went onto military aircraft for the first time.
Bell’s partner in Japan
The most visible result is the Subaru Bell UH-2. Japan’s Ground Self-Defence Force needed a replacement for its UH-1J Hueys, themselves built by Fuji, and chose a joint Subaru and Bell proposal, then called UH-X, based on the Bell 412EPI. 150 are on order, and a civil version, the Subaru Bell 412EPX, is sold worldwide by Bell. A variant was also proposed for the Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force’s new patrol helicopter requirement. Subaru has also built the T-7 primary trainer for the Air Self-Defence Force.
Inside Boeing’s wing box
The aerospace division’s civil work is less visible but just as important. Subaru builds the centre wing section of the Boeing 777 and 787, the structural heart of each aircraft where the wings join the fuselage, and in 2014 was one of five major Japanese firms contracted for the 777X. It supplies parts for other Boeing types, makes target drones and unmanned aircraft for the Japanese government, and is responsible for maintenance of the V-22 Osprey in Japan.
Subaru in numbers
The company
- In short
- Subaru name since 2017
- Fuji Heavy Industries incorporated 15 July 1953 from five ex-Nakajima companies
- Renamed Subaru Corporation on 1 April 2017
- Toyota became a major shareholder in 2005
Production
- Best known for
- Subaru Bell UH-2
- Subaru Bell UH-2 utility helicopter for the JGSDF, 150 on order
- Subaru Bell 412EPX civil helicopter
- T-7 primary trainer
- Centre wing sections for the Boeing 777, 787 and 777X
Today
- Now
- Active aerospace division
- Defence contractor to the Japanese government
- V-22 Osprey maintenance in Japan
- Target drones and UAVs
The numbers
- UH-2 on order
- 150
- Boeing 777X contract
- one of five major Japanese partners2014
Every notable Subaru aircraft
| Aircraft | Role | First flight | Built | Status | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Subaru Bell UH-2 (UH-X) | Utility helicopter | In production | Modified Bell 412EPI for the JGSDF, replacing the UH-1J | ||
| Subaru Bell 412EPX | Civil utility helicopter | In production | Commercial version of the UH-X | ||
| Fuji T-7 | Primary military trainer | 1998 | In service | Developed under the Fuji name | |
| Boeing 777 / 787 centre wing | Airliner structure | In production |
Subaru aircraft in the world’s air forces
2 air forces in the Order of Battle fly or flew Subaru types. 1 of them still have one in service.
| Air force | In service | Formerly flown |
|---|---|---|
| Japan Ground Self-Defense Force aviation | Subaru-Bell UH-2 | |
| Tunisian Air Force | Subaru Bell 412EPX |
Subaru, year by year
Fuji Heavy Industries incorporated from five ex-Nakajima firms
Subaru logo adopted as corporate symbol
Toyota buys 8.7 per cent from General Motors
Contract to build 777X parts for Boeing
Name change to Subaru Corporation announced
Fuji Heavy Industries becomes Subaru Corporation
Everything people ask about Subaru
Does Subaru build aircraft?
Is Subaru the same company as Fuji Heavy Industries?
What is the Subaru Bell UH-2?
What is Subaru’s link to Nakajima?
Around Subaru
Every fact, checked
Verified 2026-10-03.