Three more Eurocopter EC135 helicopters sold to French police force

Posted by John McHalePARIS, 24 June 2011.Eurocopter announced that the company sold three more EC135 helicopters to the French Gendarmerie police force and also will continue extend its support services contract for the police force's 12 EC135s. The French DGA armament procurement agency directed the acquisition agreement, which will provide an incremental expansion of the Gendarmerie's multi-role, twin-engine EC135 fleet. The fleet is used for police and medical evacuation missions.The key capability of the EC135 is its ability to transmit ground images , says Daniel Leimbacher, Chief of French Groupement Central des Forces Aeriennes de la Gendarmerie. The EC135s ordered to date for the Gendarmerie are to strengthen its rotary-wing inventory, and eventually replace the police force's single-engine Ecureuil helicopters.