New Mexican border communities will soon have additional aerial assistance available in the form of three new Blackhawk helicopters. The El Paso area fleet of the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, which is respoonsible for patrolling large sections of the NM/Mexico border, will be receiving the new helicopters courtesy of the U.S. Army. The new helicopters will replace the outdated “Huey” models and can “get to a location faster, remain longer, and carry more people, systems, or cargo in all kinds of weather,” according to a news release from CBP Air and Marine Operations.
This is good news for many New Mexicans living and working in the sometimes isolated and far flung border regions where help can sometimes be more than an hour away by road. Additionally the El Paso Air Branch has the largest area of responsibility in the southwestern region and encompasses parts of West Texas, all of New Mexico, and Oklahoma. The speed, range, and overall increased capabilities of the Black Hawk will be a welcome addition the already overworked and underfunded “bootheel” and El Paso regions in responding to immigration, law enforcement or medical emergencies, according to CBP Air and Marine Operations. Read more HERE.