Helo Will Serve Nation With Uniquely Challenging Terrain

The Kenya Police Air-Wing is expanding its airborne law enforcement and crime prevention unit with the delivery of a Eurocopter AS350 B3e Ecureuil helicopter. The selection follows an open and competitive tender won earlier this year by Eurocopter Southern Africa (Pty) Ltd, the Group subsidiary in charge of Southern Africa markets.

The new helicopter, (file photo shown,) which was delivered in Nairobi will be dedicated to police law enforcement and crime prevention missions including anti-poaching, anti-terrorism operations. It will also be deployed in search & rescue, casualty evacuation, personnel transport and various other civic protection roles.

The Kenya Police Air-Wing is the first African customer for the AS350 B3e, which boasts an uprated Turbomeca Arriel 2D turbine engine allowing better take-off performances while decreasing maintenance costs compared to earlier AS350 variants.

Kenya has a land area of 580,000 square kilometers (224,000 sq. mi.) and a population of nearly 39 million. It has a diverse geography including a long Indian Ocean coastline. Inland, the terrain varies from savannah grasslands to forests, mountains and even dessert regions.

FMI: www.eurocopter.com