Rio de Janeiro will gain a weight boost in the fight against crime: the UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter, famous for its performance in international conflicts, will be incorporated into the Military Police fleet, as released this week by Rio de Janeiro Governor Claudio Castro. With special shielding and expanded tactical capacity, the model promises to be more functional in operations in risk areas in the state.
In an interview with CNNFlight Pilot and Safety Specialist Maurizio Spinelli highlighted the impact that Black Hawk’s arrival should bring to police forces:
“This aircraft was born in the 1970s in a context of military operations. It has much higher capacity than the aircraft used today by the Rio police. It is faster, faster and much more robust,” he explained.
According to Spinelli, the main difference compared to current models is that Black Hawk is a twin -engine, unlike Huey, single -engine, and has even been used in the Vietnam War.
“The application of this helicopter is virtually unlimited. It can be used for infiltration and extraction of troops, transportation, aeromedical service and even in combat, as it occurs widely in the United States,” said the expert. “It’s a proportion to what police officers have faced in the communities, where drug traffickers use large -caliber and even anti -aircraft weapons.”
The expert also remembered the episode of March 20 this year, during Operation Tourniquet, in Vila Aliança, in Bangu, West Zone of Rio, where Copilot Felipe Marques Monteiro was shot in the head while riding the Civil Police helicopter. The case generated strong commotion and stressed the boldness of criminals armed with rifles and weapons of war.
The Black Hawk version that will be delivered to the Rio PM has reinforced armor. Able to reach up to 294 km/h, the model has flight autonomy of about 590 km and can carry up to 11 equipped military, plus four crew members. Its robust structure allows acting in flooded regions, closed forest and other hard -to -reach land.
In addition to performance, embedded technology is another differential: the H-60L model is equipped with advanced navigation and communication systems, offering pilots precision and safety in any climatic condition.
With its arrival, the helicopter will be used in special missions and support for tactical actions in sensitive areas. The expectation of the government of RJ is that Black Hawk significantly extend the response capacity of police forces in critical situations.
