PORT OF SPAIN Trinidad (CMC) – The Trinidad and Tobago government says it will spend nearly TT$600 million (One TT dollar = US$0.16 cents) to purchase six helicopters and four Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs or drones) for the National Operations Centre (NOC).
National Security Minister Gary Griffith told reporters that the UAVs will be of significant value to add to national security apparatus for remote sensing, reconnaissance, surveillance, deterrence and early warning purposes.
Griffith said the UAVs will be the first of its kind in this country and “we are moving with the times” noting that in the past there were “blimps, defective radar, defective fast patrol vessels, defective offshore patrol vessels, defective interceptors they will now have UAVs, ensuring no blind spots in the radar system, effective 50-metre patrol vessels, effective long range patrol vessels and high tech interceptors.
“So with the use of the UAVs it is going to play a phenomenal role in ensuring real time information, intelligence gathering, monitoring what is happening and being able to assist as well in our border protection,” he said.
He added that the four aircraft now in operation in Trinidad had been provided by three different manufacturers and the new helicopters will be provided by a single manufacturer.
