EADS North America in large helicopter deal with Customs and Border Protection

The Customs and Border Protection (CBP) division of DHS has placed an order with Arlington, Virginia-based EADS North America for EC120 helicopters. This acquisition is the first order for ten Light Sign Cutter EC120s in a DHS contract that could involve as many as fifty-five helicopters, with a potential total value of up to $75 million.

CBP’s EC120s will be produced at the new Columbus, Mississippi facility of American Eurocopter, an EADS North America business unit. Columbus already does helicopter work for the U.S. government — including the upgrading of HH-65 Dolphins for the Coast Guard, and the production of EADS North America’s UH-145 Light Utility Helicopter. CBP will receive its first EC120 in June for deployment on America’s southwest border with Mexico. The company already has many of its helicopters in use by different U.S. government agencies: This Coast Guard has an inventory of HH-65 Dolphins; the CBP already operates AS350 AStar helicopters; the Department of Justice’s Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) also use the AS350 AStar helicopter.

-read more in this news release