The PNP provides law enforcement to the 7,000+ islands of the Philippines and as such, the PNP needs to train and maintain the skills its expansive team. The R44 is easy to operate and has low operating costs, making it an ideal aircraft to train pilots on before they move up to the fleet’s higher category rotorcraft.

The acquisition is part of an overall effort by the government to strengthen and expand its law enforcement capabilities, and Police Lt Col Ruel Zalatar, Chief of PNP-SAF-AU, who has logged significant time in various rotorcraft, believes the R44 is well suited for training and enhancing police-related skills – surveillance, patrol, and aerial reconnaissance.