Press Release

Issued by Vulcanair SpA.

November 29, 2013

The UK NPAS (National Police Air Service) has awarded the contract to deliver a police role-equipped fixed-wing surveillance aircraft to Airborne Technologies of Wiener Neustadt, Austria. The platform - a Vulcanair P68R - in combination with the modifications proposed by Airborne Technologies will provide the UK police with the optimum solution in the EU-wide procurement process.

Keen to explore the opportunities presented by the new generation of fixed-wing aircraft, through conducting a 6-month operational trial, NPAS decided to add a fixed-wing aircraft to their helicopter-dominated fleet. This award is the second for a Vulcanair P68 with the German police previously buying the type.

Captain Oliver Dismore, flight operations director of NPAS, said, "I was tasked by the NPAS strategic board to explore opportunities around introducing new generation fixed-wing aircraft to the fleet to enhance our capabilities at modest additional cost. The cutting-edge surveillance equipment (Wescam MX10 and Churchill Augmented Reality System), proposed by Airborne Technologies, is fully integrated into a mission system presented in an ergonomic working environment. This will reduce the workload of the single tactical flight officer crew and will enable the aircraft to perform tasks normally carried out by our helicopters, freeing them up for more time-critical missions.”

For the trial the Airborne Technologies team will provide a tailored aircraft with a sophisticated working environment and presents itself once again as technology leader for the support of the flying police. allowing a very effective surveillance of the ground and a very effective communication and tactical deployment of the ground officers. 

The aircraft will be handed over from January 2014. After the trial, if successful, the NPAS will purchase six to seven aircraft via a tender procedure .