San Antonio to buy new H125s

san antonio

The city council of San Antonio, in the US state of Texas, has allocated US$23.2 million for the purchase of three new police helicopters

The funds will support the replacement of three Airbus EC120B rotorcraft currently in use by the San Antonio Police Department (SAPD) with modern H125s. The city will also trade in the three older aircraft to support the purchase – a move which is expected to net a further $850,000.

In addition to supporting the acquisition of the helicopters themselves, the funds will also be used to support training for both pilots and mechanics.

SAPD currently operates four aircraft – in addition to the three EC120Bs, it also has a single H125 acquired in 2018.

The aircraft are expected to offer a longer lifespan than the current EC120B fleet, acquired between 2013 and 2015. They will also feature a range of new equipment, including night vision goggle (NVG) compatibility, as well the ability to connect with the LoJack vehicle recovery system.

Elsewhere, the police department of Grand Rapids, Michigan, is proposing the purchase of six drones.