High Speed and Extended Range Influence Selection

Brazil’s Polícia Rodoviária Federal (PRF – Federal Highway Police) is to acquire six Leonardo AW119Kx KOALA single-engine helicopters; the first aircraft is expected to be delivered early next year, with delivery planned to be completed by mid-2021.

The helicopters will be operated by the PRF’s Air Operations Division, from bases in the five regions of Brazil, to conduct a range of missions including transport, rescue, emergency medical service, firefighting, surveillance and law enforcement. Their delivery will further expand the fleet of Leonardo helicopters used by law enforcement, rescue and public service operators across Brazil, which already includes the AW119 in addition to the AW109 light twin and AW139 intermediate twin models. The KOALAs will feature an advanced customised configuration including a Garmin G1000NXi glass cockpit, an infrared-capable electro-optical system, a rescue hoist , cargo hook, and a ‘bambi bucket’ for firefighting, a rappelling kit on both sides for special forces operations, and advanced communication systems.

Military Police forces in the states of Goiás, Santa Catarina and Minas Gerais already operate the AW119Ke, and Río Grande do Sul has two AW119Kx. Over 190 Leonardo helicopters operate in Brazil today in multiple roles, including: corporate/private transport, law enforcement, public services, offshore transport, and naval applications. The company is committed to further strengthening its existing level of local services with the establishment of a new regional support centre, run by Leonardo do Brasil, in Itapevi, 30km from São Paulo, for which ground was broken in February. The new support centre will expand the services already provided by the existing facility headquartered in São Paulo.

Santiago Rivas and Florencia Lucero Heguy in Buenos Aires for MON