When thinking of the role of law enforcement aircraft, we tend to be drawn to aerial surveillance, high-speed pursuits or operational support. However, in reality, many agencies utilize their assets to cover wider mission sets. Aircraft could be tasked to undertake search and rescue (SAR), aerial firefighting or environmental observation missions.

Operators and equipment

The North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) Police, the largest German state police force, is responsible for policing Germany’s most populous state. Home to approximately 18 million people, NRW includes the Ruhrgebiet (Ruhr), one of the most densely populated areas of Europe.

The Police Aviation Support Unit (flying under the call sign ‘Hummel’) uses a fleet of six Airbus H145s and two Cessna 182 Skylanes to support a range of law enforcement missions. While the two Cessnas are dedicated to training and undercover operations, the H145 fleet is multi-mission capable, as Chief Inspector Tim Pittelkow, Mission Pilot, explained: “We always have at least two helicopters equipped with electro-optical systems. The others can be used as transport, special tactics, winch or external load operations.”

The H145s are based at Düsseldorf and Dortmund airports, standing alert 24/7. “We can cover our mission area perfectly and reach every point in our state in a maximum of 30 minutes,” said Pittelkow. “Because the helicopters are based at controlled airports, we always have the possibility to get airborne, even [under] instrument flight rules (IFR).” Aircraft typically fly with a crew of three: two pilots and an observer.

The H145 was selected as the Aviation Support Unit’s new aircraft for two key reasons. The first is the integrated Helionix avionics system; the second is dual-engine redundancy, allowing the aircraft to either continue its flight or make a safe, controlled forced landing.

Helionix is an Airbus product that provides pilots with enhanced situational awareness. This is achieved through four multi-function displays (MFDs), which are configured to show the most pertinent information at the respective stage of flight. A GPS navigation/communication system with moving map, terrain avoidance, synthetic vision and traffic advisory warnings is also included in the system. Finally, a four-axis autopilot aids pilots during all phases of flight, including the hover.

The aircraft are equipped with a range of camera systems, including an electro-optical and infrared (EO/IR) unit capable of identifying people at distances up to 1km away. This system is used to good effect in both law enforcement and SAR missions. This imagery is downloadable to the force’s control room to aid ground commanders’ decision-making.

Crews are also night vision goggles (NVG) qualified, a vital skill as 45% of the Unit’s missions are conducted at night.

Crews are also night vision goggles (NVG) qualified, a vital skill as 45% of the Unit’s missions are conducted at night

Another organization with a mixed rotary- and fixed-wing fleet is the New South Wales Police Force Aviation Command, locally referred to as PolAir. The unit provides aerial police support across an area of more than 100,000km² (386,000 square miles) using a fleet of eight aircraft. Superintendent Chris Nicholson, Commander Aviation Command, and Rod Clinch, Head of Flight Operations, gave AirMed&Rescue some operational insight.

Based in a now four-year-old A$50 million facility at Bankstown Airport, approximately 16 miles from the center of Sydney, three Cessna 208B Grand Caravan EXs form the fixed-wing fleet, with three Bell 429 Global Rangers and two Bell 412EPIs filling the rotary stable. The Command has also embraced remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) to support its operations: 25 small systems (2–25kg) and 75 very small (250g–2kg) systems.

Bankstown may be the fleet’s main operating and engineering base (the Command conducts its own internal engineering), but regional deployments are conducted in partnership with other agencies. This is a necessity in order to ensure the state can be effectively policed. 

Both helicopters are equipped with Teledyne’s Star SAFIRE 380-HDc forward-looking infrared (FLIR) camera system. The turret pod provides crews with HD color and IR cameras with a low-light night imaging sensor and short-wave infrared (SWIR) for full spectral awareness. Footage can be sent to ground teams in real time through a data link. The aircraft are also fitted with public address systems, Trakka Systems’ TrakkaBeam ‘night sun’ spotlight and laser, and flashing lights to show presence or act as a deterrent.

The cockpits of both helicopters are full glass with Garmin navigation systems, and feature automatic flight control systems (AFCS) with auto hover capability. “Our helicopters are all twin engine, which enhances flight safety,” said Nicholson.

This equipment allows the helicopters to operate day or night in line with IFR and visual flight rules (VFR) regulations. “The cockpits are NVG capable, with almost 100% of our crews qualified to fly on night vision,” explained Nicholson.

Winching operations can also be conducted day or night over land and water: “We are limited when winching to vessels,” added Clinch.

Two of the Caravans are in a permanent intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) fit-out with a Star SAFIRE 380-HDc FLIR camera and two mission consoles. The third aircraft is maintained in a cargo/passenger configuration. 

All three aircraft types are operated by a crew of three: pilot, mission controller and tactical flight officer (TFO). In the helicopters, the mission controller sits in the cockpit with the pilot, while the TFO sits in the rear left of the cabin to operate the mission kit. Caravan mission controllers and TFOs sit together in the aircraft’s cabin.

Mission sets

SAR

SAR operations are a natural secondary mission for law enforcement aircraft thanks to both the onboard surveillance equipment typically carried and the parallels with subject-of-interest searches.

“One of our most important and biggest tasks is to avert danger to life; [as such] we search for missing persons,” said Pittelkow. For this mission set, crews will use the onboard camera systems to search for casualties or help guide ground agencies to the scene. Rescue parties can be carried in the cabin and deployed directly to provide assistance. The H145s are equipped with a winch, mounted above the starboard door, allowing for casualty recovery in tricky geographical locations or over water.

Outside of traditional law enforcement tasks, SAR is Aviation Command’s primary responsibility. Both the 412s and 429s are equipped with a winch, operated by the mission controller. The TFO descends via the winch line to recover the casualty. It is important to note the aircraft are not equipped to provide emergency care, and the crew only receive the standard police officer first aid training.

Outside of traditional law enforcement tasks, SAR is Aviation Command’s primary responsibility

The cabin of the 429 is significantly smaller than that of the 412, seating up to three casualties as opposed to seven. These numbers are dependent on fuel load, altitude and temperature conditions. Although not able to carry as many passengers, the 429 is quicker than its fleet mate and therefore makes a great platform to shuttle casualties.

Although their primary role is either as ISR platforms or conducting cargo/passenger (police divers, rescue operatives and dogs, for example) duties, NSW Police Force’s Caravans can be utilized for SAR using the aircraft’s 380-HDc camera to search for missing persons from altitude.

Aerial firefighting

The increasing frequency and expanding geographical distribution of large-scale bush fires mean additional platforms can be required to support aerial firefighting missions.

In 2020, the NRW Police purchased 820L/210gal Bambi Buckets for its H145 fleet as part of an €888,000 investment, which also included a pilot training package. The system was first used in April 2020, to combat a forest fire near Gummersbach. “This is one of my specializations; I have been entrusted with this task since the beginning and train our pilots in this mission,” said Pittelkow.

During aerial firefighting missions, the observer coordinates water collection and drops with the pilots, helping spot for obstacles or obstructions that may hinder safe operation.

NSW Police Force’s Cessna Caravans can also be utilized in this arena: “For bush fires, crews will fly between 15,000–18,000ft to map a fire if requested. For these higher-altitude missions, crews will be using supplementary oxygen (the Caravan is an unpressurized aircraft),” said Nicholson.

Upgrades / the future

Though the NRW Police’s H145s were delivered with a four-bladed rotor, they have since undergone modification to a new five-bladed hub. This significantly reduces airframe vibration, improving crew comfort and reducing potential damage to onboard equipment. An existing 20kg anti-vibration system was removed. Another operational advantage of the new five-bladed system is a 100kg payload increase. This combined 120kg gain is particularly beneficial when aerial firefighting, bringing an extra tonne of water every 10 drops.

Another operational advantage of the new five-bladed system is a 100kg payload increase

All of NSW Police Force’s platforms have up-to-date hardware: “The aircraft are equipped as well as possible, and we are very grateful for the assets we have,” said Nicholson. The 412EPIs, delivered in 2014 and 2018, would most likely be the next aircraft to be replaced, but it could be changes to air traffic control that determine their successor. The under-construction Western Sydney International Airport will be the first major airport in Australia to have a remote control tower. The new airport currently sits in Class G airspace, but this will change to Class D when it opens late next year. “This could dictate the future of the fleet, it’s a big unknown,” said Nicholson.

“We will remain in the SAR space with our intergovernmental agreements and continue to manage the fleet to maximize financial efficiency,” he added.

Nicholson is rightfully very proud of his team: “We are only as good as our people – their ‘can-do’ culture with safety right behind it. I am in awe of the professionalism, skill and continuous improvement of our crews and engineers, the people who make it happen. It is the privilege of a lifetime.”

Configuring a cabin

Multi-mission aircraft require multi-mission cabins. Bucher Leichtbau is a Swiss company focused on the development and installation of aircraft interiors. It has designed a range of mission cabin options, primarily for Airbus Helicopters products. Maria Emilia Stalder, Bucher Leichtbau’s Marketing Manager, explained: “We specialize in Airbus helicopters, especially the H135 and H145, where we offer certified kits like the AC67, AC70 and our Flex system. However, we are also capable of developing solutions for other platforms upon request.”

The AC67 and AC70 cabins, for the H135 and H145 respectively, provide more permanent fixtures, while the Flex iterations are designed to be installed/removed within 30 minutes.

Permanent fit-outs suit single-role operations, while the modular option allows equipment to be installed and removed as required, giving operators greater operational flexibility and increasing through-life value for platforms. Interiors can either be installed on the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) production line or retrofitted to existing helicopters: “We collaborate closely with manufacturers – especially Airbus – for platforms like the H135 and H145,” said Stalder.

The company tailors its products directly to customers’ needs: “We work closely with operators to design interiors that match their specific mission requirements. Whether it’s for medical transport, police operations or commercial use, we develop modular and permanent solutions that align with the operational needs, workflow and equipment preferences of our customers,” said Stalder.

Though Bucher primarily supports helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS), it also designs interiors for law enforcement, military, firefighting, oil and gas, and passenger transport. As such, the equipment installed can vary, but a representative HEMS cabin includes stretchers, medical seating, medical device racks, oxygen systems and modular storage. “All components are designed for easy use, optimal cabin ergonomics and quick access during missions. Our Flex systems allow tool-free reconfiguration, even by flight or medical crew,” explained Stalder. This ability to remove the mission kit without dedicated engineering support adds further agility for operators.

All components are designed for easy use, optimal cabin ergonomics and quick access during missions

Ease of maintenance is a key aspect of Bucher’s designs: “Our equipment is built with robustness and long-term service in mind,” said Stalder. “Components are easy to access and maintain, with many parts being modular and designed for quick replacement or adjustment.” This philosophy also applies to future modifications or upgrades. Using a ‘plug and play’ approach, customers can replace existing equipment as their operational requirements change.