AHI lands dual helo orders

ANAHEIM, Calif - The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has placed an order for three H135 helicopters, marking the first-ever partnership between the U.S. space program and Airbus Helicopters Inc. The order was announced here Jan. 28 at the Airbus booth at the Heli Expo Trade show. The H135s will be operated out of the Kennedy Space Center in Florida for a variety of missions, including rocket launches, security, emergency medical services, and passenger transport. Two of the helicopters are scheduled for delivery later this summer, with a third planned for early 2021. Additionally, and in another media release from AHI, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP), Air and Marine Operations (AMO) will enhance its patrol and surveillance capabilities with the addition of 16 new Airbus H125 helicopters. The new aircraft will enable AMO to achieve its mission of protecting the nation’s borders, helping combat drug smuggling, and performing life-saving search and rescue missions. Over the past 30 years, Airbus has delivered more than 100 helicopters, both H125 family and H120, to CBP. Deliveries of the new H125s will begin later this year. AHI builds the H125 at its facility in Columbus, Miss., where a workforce also produces the UH-72A Lakota for the Army. (Source: Airbus Helicopters 01/28/20) https://www.airbus.com/newsroom/press-releases/en/2020/01/nasa-places-order-for-three-airbus-h135-helicopters.html