London's Metropolitan Police has acquired three Eurocopter EC145s at a cost of £5m each.
The new generation of high-tech helicopters were received this morning (4 July) at the Lippitts Hill air base, the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) Air Support Unit (ASU) in Loughton, Essex.
The helicopters are manufactured by Eurocopter in Germany and are "more versatile". They will replace Eurocopter's Squirrel, "providing the Metropolitan Police with the very latest in crime fighting tools", such as advanced video systems and thermal imaging to help track suspects.
The contract was signed with McAlpine Helicopters in Oxford, UK and also fitted the customer specific equipment.
According to a statement, months of planning and collaboration between ASU officers and the helicopter technicians has gone into the design of the interior of the aircraft to ensure that it is both practical and capable of carrying out its variety of roles to maximum effect.
The new aircraft has a flexible cabin that can be reconfigured in as little as 15 minutes. By unbolting and removing internal equipment the cabin can accommodate up to ten people, including the pilot and two police observers.
A rope and hoist can be fitted allowing for the deployment of specialist officers rapidly and to otherwise inaccessible locations.
Head of central operations assistant commissioner, Tarique Ghaffur, says: "The benefit of support from the air cannot be underestimated. The ASU responds to between 9,000 and 10,000 incidents a year and they are an integral and essential part of policing the capital. These new aircraft will enable them to be even more effective."
The ASU is used to search for missing persons, suspects and property. It carries out investigative flights in advance of visits and demonstrations. They also carry out a vital anti-terrorism role.
An area measuring one square mile can be covered effectively by the helicopter in 12 minutes with the use of its on board equipment. The same area would require 450 officer hours to cover on foot, according to a Met Police statement.
Each helicopter is fitted with:
- A state of the art video distribution system allowing officers in the aircraft to view multiple images at the same time with the capability to then down link them to officers on the ground.
- A high-powered camera, light and heat seeking equipment to search for and track suspects
- A high-powered megaphone system for warning and instructing people on the ground.
Related story
- UK unprepared to co-ordinate helicopter resources in large scale emergency
- German air ambulance system upgrades pilot training with new simulators
Source: FlightGlobal.com
