Beijing General Aviation has placed an order for two AW189 super-medium twin engine helicopters, which will be delivered to Beijing Police as the end user to strengthen its law enforcement, SAR and firefighting capabilities in the Chinese capital's metropolitan area. The first aircraft will be delivered in the first half of 2022, with the second one following in Q1 2023.

The contract marks the entry of the AW189 type into the Chinese civil helicopter market, adding the world's most successful model in the super-medium class to a range of other Leonardo helicopter types that have already been introduced into service over the years for similar applications among multiple law enforcement operators. An established AW109 and AW139 operator, Beijing Police will now deliver even greater payload and longer range, combined with latest technology, supporting the communities it serves. Once delivered, Beijing Police's AW189s will feature a range of mission equipment, including search light, rescue hoist, tactical radios, weather/search radar, cargo hook and firefighting equipment provision, among others. The two AW189s will join seven other Leonardo helicopters, namely three AW139s, three AW109 Powers and one AW109 GrandNew, to make Beijing Police the largest police aviation unit in China with a nine aircraft fleet. With the introduction of two AW189s, Beijing Police also spearheads, among Chinese police aviation operators, an expansion into emergency management roles assigned by the newly created Chinese Ministry of Emergency Management.

With over 100 AW189s sold to operators worldwide and more than 80 already delivered for a wide scope of missions including law enforcement, fire-fighting, search and rescue, medical evacuation, disaster relief, passenger transport and energy industry support, the AW189 is by far the most successful helicopter in its category today. The type has been chosen by several public service and rescue operators across Asia, thanks to its unique combination of latest certification and safety standards, long range, large capacity and cost/effectiveness compared to larger and heavier helicopter models in the market. The AW189 is available with more than 200 certified kits and is delivered with a comprehensive support and training service package, tailored to meet specific customer requirement to maximise mission effectiveness and safety of operations.

More than 200 Leonardo civil helicopters of various types have been sold to Chinese operators to date for a range of both commercial and public services.