Police Aviation News December 2007

Police Aviation News December 2007 5
This is a fast-track procurement with deliveries beginning as early as March 2008. To accommodate
that, it includes a provision for operations, maintenance, logistics and training,
which will allow for the expeditious entry of the aircraft into service. This will help bring the
unit into full service rapidly and, in turn, enhance its ability to respond to critical missions in
the Kingdom, including search and rescue (SAR), fire fighting, medical evacuation
(MEDEVAC) and emergency medical service (EMS) patient transfer missions, in addition to
security and traffic surveillance missions. These aircraft can be quickly configured for each
mission.
The Saudi MOI began discussions with various helicopter manufacturers and issued requests
for proposals to six major helicopter manufacturers to compete for the Saudi MOI
helicopter programme requirements in the first quarter of 2006. The MOI accepted proposals
in June 2006, which prompted technical discussions and negotiations with the different
companies. On December 4, 2006, the MOI issued Sikorsky a letter of intent to purchase
the Sikorsky solution. [Sikorsky]
SWEDEN
Last month the Swedish police put the nation’s
prison systems on the alert after four of their
EC135 police helicopters operating near the
west coast city of Gothenburg were shot at during
the night. The damaged aircraft were temporarily
withdrawn from service. They expressed
fears that a prison break may be being planned.
[Sveriges Radio]