First Royal Cayman Islands Police Service H145 helicopter modified

One of the two Royal Cayman Islands Police Service Air Operations Unit (AOU) helicopters recently returned home after modifications performed in Philadelphia (PA). The AOU provides aerial support for border security, search and rescue, police operations, and disaster response. The AOU has a uniformed civilian Executive Officer, and is staffed by professional pilots and engineers, as well as police officers, led by a sergeant.

The service was founded in 2010, and initially equipped with one Eurocopter EC135T1 police helicopter, VP-CPS (msn 0107). The helicopter was withdrawn after a mishap in service on 26 February 2019. Part of the vertical tail is still kept in the hangar of the unit at Owen Roberts International Airport, Cayman Islands. The original VP-CPS had previously served with the East Midlands Air Support Unit as G-EMAS.

The Police Service currently operates two Airbus Helicopters H145, formerly known as the Eurocopter EC145, based on the MBB BK117D2. They have beem acquired in a special deal with the United Kingdom late March 2019, and early December 2019. VP-CAO (EC145T2, msn 20182, ex N470AH) received a weather radar, daylight and TI camera, nightsun, encrypted communications and PA system, floatation system and a hoist after it was send to Philadelphia in January. It returned home on 5 August 2020.

The new VP-CPS (EC145T2, msn 20241, ex N563AH) is slated to receive the same modifications at some point. Most likely the Philadelphia AgustaWestland Corporation of Philadelphia (PA) is the party who completed the modifications although Airbus USA could have been involved as well.

Source: https://twitter.com/XRayOneCayman and Scramble Magazine / photos: Daan van Laatzen