The Brazilian Secretariat of State for Security and Social Defence (SESDS) has taken delivery of an H125 helicopter from Airbus subsidiary Helibras.

The agency is responsible for public security and social defence in the territory of Paraíba, and the multi-mission aircraft is the second in the SESDS fleet, which already has an AS350 B2.

Acauã 2 will be integrated into the Air Tactical Group (GTA) and used in preventive and repressive policing, in support of the military and civil police, as well as rescue in restricted areas, fire fighting and aeromedical transport, and in support of the fire department, civil defence and emergency ambulance services.

The military police, the civil police, the fire department, and the prison system are all subordinated to SESDS. The helicopter will be incorporated into the assets of SESDS and had the State Secretariat of Administration at the forefront in the bidding process.

Helibras is the only Brazilian helicopter manufacturer and has already delivered some 800 helicopters in the country. It is the Brazilian market leader with 50 per cent participation in the turbine helicopter fleet and maintains facilities in Minas Gerais, São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Atibaia and Brasília. Its factory, which employs more than 500 staff, produces the aircraft H125 Esquilo and H225/H225M.