Rio Military Police enhance mission capabilities with Huey II

Rio Military Police enhance mission capabilities with Huey II

13-Mar-2011 Source: Bell

Bell Helicopter, a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, has collaborated with a third party vendor to develop a customized advanced armament solution for the Rio Military Police.

Designed, developed and qualified by Bell Helicopter and LifePort Inc., this specific armor adds security and protection for pilots, passengers and crew, while maintaining a spacious cabin for maneuverability and efficiency.

“The Rio Military Police perform some of the most dangerous and difficult parapublic missions. Our number one priority was to provide the Rio Police with a solution that offered them the highest level of safety and performance capability,” said Larry D. Roberts, senior vice president, Bell Helicopter. “This advanced armor system, combined with the ruggedness of the Huey II, will provide the Rio Police with maximum protection for its crew and passengers.”

Chosen for its unique capability, the Huey II offers the Rio Police with proven experience in combat, rugged reliability and an exceptional survivability rate.

Used in missions such as air support for ground teams, search and rescue, disaster relief and humanitarian missions, as well as troop and material transport, the helicopter can withstand caliber 7.62 shots and machine gun fire and has the necessary equipment for night operations and rescue hoist missions.

“The Rio Police needed the ability to handle various missions in various terrains and conditions. One day we will operate at sea-level, and the next in the mountains, at high altitudes and in a hot environment,” said Col. Eduardo Luiz Ribeiro, Rio Military Police. “The Huey II will add a component of safety and reliability to our mission that we have not had in the past. We can now transport more police officers for special operations and hoist operations that we could not do with current aircraft.”

Four pilots received a two-week training course to become acquainted with the armored helicopter at the Bell Helicopter Training Academy in Alliance, Texas.

“We have been very impressed with the entire training experience and the performance of the Huey II,” said Col. Ribeiro. “Over the past two weeks we have been a part of one of the most comprehensive training programs, from ground training to flight simulators, classroom instruction and flight time. We are all now extremely confident in our ability to operate the aircraft in Rio, and we will go back home, operate hard, and our society will see the results.”

The Rio de Janeiro forces operate four aircraft in addition to the Bell Huey II and the State has six more helicopters for the security and fire department including another Huey II. They have lost at least two helicopters while patrolling and protecting the city and surrounding areas over the past several years.

This Huey II replaces one of the helicopters lost in operations over the State and will be used to help rid the city of organized crime and gangs ahead of the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Summer Olympics.
-30-

About Bell Helicopter
Bell Helicopter, a wholly owned subsidiary of Textron Inc., is an industry-leading producer of commercial and military, manned and unmanned vertical-lift aircraft and the pioneer of the revolutionary tiltrotor aircraft. Globally recognized for world-class customer service, innovation and superior quality, Bell’s global workforce serves customers flying Bell aircraft in more than 120 countries.

About Textron Inc.
Textron Inc. is a multi-industry company that leverages its global network of aircraft, defense, industrial and finance businesses to provide customers with innovative solutions and services. Textron is known around the world for its powerful brands such as Bell Helicopter, Cessna Aircraft Company, Jacobsen, Kautex, Lycoming, E-Z-GO, Greenlee, and Textron Systems. More information is available at www.textron.com.

, , , , , , ,

Copyright © 2024 HeliHub

Website by Design Inc

Helihub logo

X