RIYADH: The General Directorate of Medical Services in the Armed Forces has enhanced its airborne medical evacuation fleet with the addition of eleven new aircraft composed of AW139 15-seat medium sized twin-engine helicopter and G450 twin-jet aircraft. The new helicopters and jets are equipped with the most advanced medical equipment.

Maj. Gen. Sulaiman Al-Malik, director of the General Directorate of Armed Forces in the Medical Service Division, said that the arrival of the helicopters and jets comes within the framework of its general strategy to develop the Armed Forces.

“The new Air Medical Evacuation helicopters and jets are equipped with advanced technologies to help the medical teams and navigators assume their tasks with efficiency and competence,” he said.

He added that the new helicopters are able to fly for four continuous hours without stopping, while the jets are equipped to move three persons requiring intensive medical treatment and care at any one time.

“All of the aircrafts are connected with an advanced satellite communication system to enable them to keep in contact with the hospitals of the Armed Forces, if needed,” he explained.

The Air Medical Evacuation Fleet currently includes 35 helicopters and jets in total. Their models include the AW139, Agusta-Bell AB 212, Black Hawk helicopters, King Air 350ER jets, AS365 Dauphin, Learjet 60, and the medical Gulfstream G450, C130, G4 and G5.