The city council of San Diego has approved a spend of US$18m, allowing the city’s Police Department (SDPD) to order three more Airbus H125s. The new aircraft are intended to replace three AS350s, which entered service with the force in 2005, and join the H125, which entered service with the SDPD in 2020. The value of the order includes an $800K-per-aircraft trade-in credit. The trade-in element is a core part of the tender issued by the city.
The city based its decision on the findings of a report by aviation consultants Cocklin & DeDecker, which examined the cost implications of various fleet options and cited rising maintenance costs on the older aircraft as ruling out fleet retention as an option.
Hangar One, based at McClellan-Palomar Airport in San Diego’s North County, will carry out the completion of the new helicopters, which will be fitted with a similar mission package to those on the existing aircraft in compliance with the city’s surveillance ordinance.
Two of the aircraft are due for delivery next year, with the third following in 2025.
