# Cameroon Air Force acquires additional Bell 412EP helicopter

- Link: https://www.military.africa/2020/03/cameroon-air-force-acquires-additional-bell-412ep-helicopter/
- Published: 2020-03-22T18:04:25+01:00
- Author: Ekene Lionel

The Cameroonian Air Force has acquired a single Bell 412EP utility helicopter, increasing
its fleet to a total of four.

The Bell 412EP utility helicopter with identification TJ-XRA was transferred to 
Cameroon after being cancelled from the United States register on 20 September 2019.

Cameroonian Air Force received two Bell 412EP in February 2010, but one of the helicopter
crashed on November 22, 2010 while on a liason flight between Limbe and Yaounde,
resulting in five casualties.

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Cameroon’s Bell 412s are the used extensively by the BIR (Bataillons d’Intervention
Rapide or Rapid Intervention Battalion) tasked with combating terrorists in the 
region.

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The helicopters carry out search and rescue, medical evacuation, transport and command
support, anti-poaching, air patrol and training support missions. They also are 
used for maritime surveillance in support of coastal forces, providing security 
to Cameroon’s offshore oil exploitation facilities.

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