WA Police to be first law enforcement agency in Asia Pacific to operate 5-bladed Airbus H145 helicopter

24 July 2020 © David Eyre

Police Minister Michelle Roberts today announced that Western Australia Police Airwing’s next generation helicopter will be the new five-bladed Airbus Helicopters H145, with delivery scheduled for September 2022.

WA Police will be the first customer in Australia and the first law enforcement agency in Asia Pacific to receive this new model, at a cost of $26.9 million.

The H145 is capable of rapid deployment, with a quick start-up procedure allowing crews to get airborne within two minutes once the preparatory phase is complete, compared to the current 10 minutes it takes the existing WA Police Force helicopter fleet to respond. Rapid deployment is important in emergency situations including traffic pursuits.

The WA Police H145 will include night vision goggle compatibility, as well as single-pilot and instrument flight rules avionics, a fully integrated on-board police mission system, alongside Airbus’s Helionix avionics suite and a 4-axis autopilot system, which reduces crew workload.

The H145 features a five-bladed main rotor, Fenestron shrouded tail rotor, two Safran Helicopter Arrius 2E engines, seating up to ten passengers, a maximum range of 351 nautical miles, a maximum cruise speed of 129 knots and a maximum endurance of three hours and 34 minutes

The new helicopter will replace the 30-year-old Kawasaki BK117, VH-WAH, built in 1990, which has reached the end of its useful life.

The other WA Police helicopter is VH-WPX Eurocopter AS365N3+ Dauphin 2, delivered in September 2011, which entered service in May 2012.

WA Police also operate three Pilatus PC-12s and one GippsAero GA8 Airvan.