Farnborough, 17 July 2006
Eurocopter helicopters account for 71 per cent of the existing UK and Ireland police surveillance market. Top favourite with Police Air Support units is the EC135 with a 52 per cent share in this market. With its modern product line, Eurocopter has responded to the increasing security requirements in the British Isles and around the world by adapting its light twin-engined helicopter family, notably the EC135 and EC145, very specifically to meet the demands of homeland security operators. The company is the world's leading helicopter supplier in this field. Worldwide, it has captured a 52 per cent share of the public services market which includes border patrol, coast guard, law enforcement, emergency medical services, fire-fighting and para-military operations.
In the UK, various twin-engined Eurocopter models have gone into Police Air Support and EMS operations over the past 25 years, originally the BO105 and BK117 and, more recently, the AS355, the EC135 and – coming soon – the EC145. Twenty-two out of a total of 31 police helicopters in the British Isles are by Eurocopter.
In view of the new climate of extra vigilance against terrorism, an additional requirement has been arisen. It is in having a medium-lift, utility capability - the ability to rapidly deliver a number of officers or heavy equipment to the scene of an incident. The London Metropolitan Police Authority is the first British government client to receive the new EC145, already operated by renowned government agencies like Securité Civile and Gendarmerie in France and Hesse State Police in Germany. The London "Met" has ordered a total of three EC145s, to be delivered between late 2006 and early 2007. The EC145 was recently selected by the US Army for its Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) requirement.
Eurocopter's new generation of light twins are notable for their roomy and unobstructed cabins, easily accessible through large side sliding doors and rear clamshell doors. A wide variety of mission equipment packages is certified and available, such as for surveillance, search and rescue, emergency medical services, quick reaction missions, firefighting, training or passenger transportation. The helicopters have night-vision-goggle compatible cockpits, and can be fitted with FLIR, searchlight, rescue hoist and cargo hook as the customer specifies. Besides, both the EC 135 and the EC 145 have the lowest noise emission in their respective classes, a fact well appreciated by operators who regularly fly over urban or built-up areas. Eurocopter’s UK distributor, McAlpine Helicopters Ltd., offers a mission equipment package tailor-made to the specific Police Air Support requirements in the UK and Ireland.
Established in 1992, the Franco-German-Spanish Eurocopter Group is a Division of EADS, a world leader in aerospace, defence and related services. The Eurocopter Group employs approx. 13,000 people. In 2005, Eurocopter confirmed its position as the world’s No. 1 helicopter manufacturer with a turnover of 3.2 billion euros, orders for 401 new helicopters, and a 52 percent market share in the civil and parapublic sectors. Overall, the Group’s products account for 30 percent of the total world helicopter fleet. Its strong worldwide presence is ensured by its 16 subsidiaries on five continents, along with a dense network of distributors, certified agents and maintenance centers. More than 9,500 Eurocopter helicopters are currently in service with over 2,500 customers in 139 countries. Eurocopter offers the largest civil and military helicopter range in the world.
