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WA Police will spend $15.8 million over the next four years on updating its air assets, including a new jet aircraft.
The police force will lease a Pilatus PC-24 and upgrade its existing PC-12 fleet, with the twin-engine PC-24 expected to halve the current travel time from Perth to towns such as Kununurra while being able to land on unsealed outback airstrips.
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According to WA Police Minister Paul Papalia, the PC-24 will be able to hold eight police officers and is reconfigurable to carry cargo including police equipment, emergency supplies, and evidence.
“The Pilatus PC-24 will be the fastest aircraft in the history of the WA Police Force and bolster the capabilities of the existing Police Air Wing fleet,” he said.
“Time is critical when it comes to responding to emergencies and solving crime, and I want to arm our police force with the best tools on the global market to get the job done.
“WA is a vast state and remains the largest non-federal law enforcement jurisdiction in the world. The $15.8 million investment will help get more boots on the ground quicker when critical support is needed in regional WA.
“This is in addition to the uplift in regional policing through the rollout of satellite communications to 129 police stations and 550 police vehicles across regional and remote WA.”
Deputy police commissioner Kylie Whiteley said the introduction of a jet aircraft into WA Police’s fleet would represent “a significant enhancement in aerial response capability which will greatly benefit the community”.
“As the state’s population continues to grow, including in regional and remote parts of the state, the range of incidents being responded to are expected to become more diverse and require more specialist support from Perth-based units,” she said.
“This enhanced capability means we can send more officers to where they are needed – faster, safer and with the right equipment to do their job of keeping the community safe.”
The PC-24 is currently used for aeromedical operations in Australia with operators such as Pel-Air for the NSW Ambulance Service, and the Royal Flying Doctor Service.
WA Police expects to receive the PC-24 by mid-2026.
