LA County Sheriff's Department Purchases 12 AS350 B2
Helicopters
Maybe not when it comes to helos. But still, the Los Angeles
County Sheriff's Department has purchased 12 AS350 B2 helicopters.
In making the announcement Tuesday, American Eurocopter said the
helicopters will be placed into service with the department's Aero
Bureau as part of an upgrade plan for its current fleet. The order
also has provisions for options that would allow the department to
add two additional helicopters in the future to meet the deployment
levels needed to help ensure the safety of department personnel and
the surrounding community.
"This order confirms the AS350 as the helicopter of choice for
law enforcement agencies throughout the United States," said Marc
Paganini, President and CEO of American Eurocopter. "Los Angeles
County Sheriff's Department's new fleet of AS350 B2s will certainly
set the standard as the most technologically advanced helicopters
in law enforcement."
The Aero Bureau's current fleet of 12 AS350 B2s has been serving
the county since 2003. The purchase of these new helicopters will
allow the Aero Bureau to update its fleet to the latest technology
offering the performance and reliability to meet the department's
expanding mission scope.
"Our law enforcement role throughout the county has increased.
To get to where we need to be to protect our citizens and perform
our missions, our mission equipment needed to be replaced,"
explained Captain Louis Duran, Los Angeles County Sheriff's
Department Aero Bureau.
"We have a familiarity with the AS350 B2. We know the strength
of its performance and its maintenance," continued Duran. "The
AS350 B2 has exceeded our mission profile and it just made sense to
upgrade to new helicopters," continued Duran. He also explained
that with these new helicopters the department's capabilities will
be enhanced with night vision, laser pointing, advanced mapping and
tracking, as well other technologies that will be added during the
completion of the helicopters.
The AS350 - AStar is powered by a 732 shp Turbomeca Arriel 1D1
engine, with room for six plus pilot and a sling capacity of more
than 2,555 lbs. Eurocopter says the AS350 is adaptable for the full
range of law enforcement missions from special operations to
emergency medevacs.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Aero Bureau provides
vital support to all law enforcement missions as a true
force-multiplier and is recognized worldwide as a leader in
tactical aviation law enforcement services. With the use of
advanced technology systems that include Forward Looking Infrared
(F.L.I.R.), multi-band digital radio systems, Global Positioning
Mapping System, and Down-Link video feed, air crews provide real
time proactive support to law enforcement personnel and Command
Operation Centers. Air crews also provide transportation for
specialized units such as S.E.B., K-9, Arson Explosives Detail
Unit, or any other support unit that requires rapid and immediate
deployment to a location.