Part Of Modernization Plan

In a ceremony at Marignane, Eurocopter officially handed over the keys of two Panther helicopters to Commander General and Staff College Graduate (CG. DEM) Admiral Armando Sánchez Moreno, who is Under Secretary of the Mexican Navy. The helicopters will be operated by the Navy of the United Mexican States.

The delivery followed up the contract, which was signed in 2003 and included an option for 8 more helicopters.

The contract has strengthened the 25-year long cooperation between the Mexican Navy and Eurocopter.

The Panthers are powered by 2 Turbomeca Arriel 2C engines, each developing 879 hp. They will operate off ships and perform missions for the Coast Guard, as well as SAR, surveillance and drug enforcement operations and troop transport.

The helicopters are a component in the strategic plan to modernize the navy, which is playing an increasingly important role in national security activities.

EUROCOPTER entered the program at the outset. The program was kicked off in 2002 after a contract was signed for upgrading the fleet of BO 105s, used by the Mexican navy for surveillance and interdiction duties.

The first helicopters upgraded in Mexico are already operational.

The Panther is a recognized benchmark for military helicopters in the 5 metric ton category. In all, 259 Panthers have been sold, including 78 naval versions.

On the American continent, the 36 acquired by the Brazilian army are all operational today.

As for the Dauphin – the civil version of the Panther -- more 490 have been sold to date. The US Coast Guard operates 96 of these helicopters, which have chalked up an impressive total of 750,000 flight hours.

And that’s not all as the Korean Maritime Police, Royal Moroccan Navy, Greek Harbor Police and Spanish Coast Guard Administration have also chosen the Panther/Dauphin.

FMI: www.eurocopter.com