New police helicopter for Western Australia
The Western Australia (WA) Police Force’s Air Wing has received a new five-bladed Airbus H145 – the first of two due for delivery
The second helicopter is currently under construction in Germany, and is due to begin operations in March 2024.
The aircraft are part of a A$54 million investment in the police by the Australian government, and will replace existing BK117 rotorcraft currently in use. A BK117 decommissioned in late 2022 was handed over to Airbus to partially fund the purchase of the second aircraft.
The investment includes A$7.6 million in funds to support operation and maintenance costs for the new aircraft, including the recruitment of two licenced aircraft engineers based in Jandakot.
The new H145s are expected to radically reduce dispatch times, allowing for a helicopter to be dispatched within two minutes, compared with the current 10-minute response period using the existing aircraft.
“This new helicopter is equipped with state-of-the-art technology, enhancing the aerial advantage WA Police has when responding to evolving emergencies,” said Paul Papalia, Police Minister for WA.
Oliver Cuenca
Oliver Cuenca is a Junior Editor at the Voyageur Group. He was previously a News and Features Journalist for the rail magazine IRJ until 2021, and studied MA Magazine Journalism at Cardiff University. His favourite helicopter is the AW169 – the workhorse of the UK air ambulance sector! He also led the creation of Waypoint: The AirMed&Rescue podcast, serving as its Production Editor and co-host.