Airborne police in Germany's most populous state are to receive twin-engine EC145 T2 helicopters from Airbus beginning in 2016.

Airbus Helicopters, formerly Eurocopter, said the six aircraft will succeed the EC155 and BK117 helicopters now being used by the Landespolizei Nordrhein-Westfalen, or North Rhine-Westphalia Police Force.

"The EC145 T2 is well suited for the Landespolizei Nordrhein-Westfalen's broad range of missions, providing capabilities that come with the world's most modern law enforcement helicopter," said Thomas Hein, Airbus Helicopters' vice president and head of operations in Western Europe. "We developed the EC145 T2 with police forces in mind, working closely with pilots and officers to meet their operational needs."

The EC145 TC has a cruise speed of 153 miles per hour and a range of 426 miles. It features Arriel 2E engines, a Fenestron shrouded tail rotor and an innovative new digital avionics suite, Helionix, with four-axis autopilot. It is also fitted with forward-looking infrared and daylight cameras for law enforcement.

The financial terms for acquisition of the aircraft were not disclosed.

The state of North Rhine-Westphalia includes the cities of Cologne, Dusseldorf, Dortmund and Essen.