Eurocopter, the world’s leading helicopter manufacturer is pleased to announce the contract signature of 3 EC155 Dauphin helicopters with the Royal Thai Police (RTP) at Asian Aerospace in Hong Kong. These 3 new medium weight twin-engine helicopters will be delivered in 2011 and will be dedicated to VVIP missions.

Dr. Bernhard Brenner, President of Eurocopter South East Asia declared at this occasion, “We are delighted at this proof of confidence from the RTP. We have been present in Thailand for nearly 20 years and have recently opened a branch office in Bangkok to provide better support to our customers in the region. We are constantly improving our range of products, equipment and services in order to better satisfy our customers’ needs both in this country as well as in the rest of the world.”

Captain Chesda Indrasthitya, Aviation Commander of Royal Thai Police added, “This is not the first time that we are buying the EC155 helicopter. There are already 2 EC155s in our current fleet and our past experiences have shown that it is a truly versatile helicopter which fully meets our mission requirements.”

The EC155’s high speed, increased payload and long endurance capacities render it an ideal tool for various law enforcement operations ranging from patrol and airborne surveillance to Search and Rescue missions. With the largest cabin and lift capacity in its class, the EC155 can deliver elite tactical units of up to 13 members and equipment over long distances.

Many law enforcement authorities in the world are currently operating the EC155 helicopter, for instance in Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China, Japan, Germany, and United States, not forgetting Thailand of course. Often employed in Europe to patrol land and sea borders, the EC155 is mainly used to patrol territorial waters and for fire fighting missions in Asia.

Today, Eurocopter has become the reference in law enforcement and homeland security segment with an international market share of over 50% and an European share of nearly 90%. 28 countries throughout the world are currently operating Eurocopter helicopters for security missions – the most important markets are found in the United States, South America, Europe and Asia, with high growth potential in Eastern Europe, the Middle East, without forgetting China.

Source: EADS