Airbus delivers helicopters to Spanish National Police Force, Spanish Road Transport Authority
ALBACETE, Spain, 9 Jan. 2015. Airbus Helicopters has delivered the first AS355 NP Ecureuil civil helicopter to the Spanish Road Transport Authority (DGT) and the first EC135 twin-engine rotorcraft to the country’s National Police Force under a contract signed in February 2014 with the DGT.
The agreement covers the supply of seven helicopters: four AS355 NP Ecureuils and three EC135s, with the latter model to be operated by the National Police Force. Deliveries commence with these first two helicopters and will be completed in 2016.
The DGT has a fleet of 12 helicopters operating from its central headquarters in Madrid as well as from regional bases and used for surveillance, traffic regulation, and highway patrols throughout Spanish territory (excluding Catalonia and the Basque Country). It also operates one of the largest fleets of the AS355 NP Ecureuil in the world, officials say.
With this latest delivery, the Police’s Aerial Services now has a total of 14 EC135s, which are used for surveillance and other police missions. This reinforces the presence of this multi-purpose rotorcraft in Spain, where it has established itself as the helicopter of choice for the country’s security forces (including the Guardia Civil, National Police and National Road Transport Authority) and the Spanish Army Airmobile Force (FAMET), whether for advanced training missions or medical emergencies in Spain’s different autonomous regions.
Airbus Helicopters, formerly Eurocopter, is a division of Airbus Group.
Courtney E. Howard | Chief Editor, Intelligent Aerospace
Courtney enjoys writing about all things high-tech in PennWell’s burgeoning Aerospace and Defense Group, which encompasses Intelligent Aerospace and Military & Aerospace Electronics. She’s also a self-proclaimed social-media maven, mil-aero nerd, and avid avionics and space geek. Connect with Courtney at [email protected], @coho on Twitter, on LinkedIn, and on Google+.
