EXCLUSIVE: A first look at Black Hawk helicopters to patrol Canada’s borders

Director of serious and organized crime and border security.

Along Canada's border patrols as part of an effort to improve security and respond to the U.S.'s growing requests for help in stopping illegal border crossings and drug trafficking.

Mattieu Bertrand, chief superintendent and director general of serious and organized crime and border integrity for the RCMP, said the force has been evaluating its border capabilities since 2023, which enabled them to quickly proceed with leasing the Black Hawks.

He pointed out that the RCMP already had nine helicopters, six of which were used for border patrol duties, and the Black Hawks would allow them to operate at a faster pace.

A lot can happen fast at the border," he said. "Given the vast 5,500-mile border area, there are situations where we need to shift our resources rapidly, and it's crucial we can do that swiftly. These helicopters enable us to do so efficiently.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) announced this week that two Black Hawk helicopters will be operational as of Friday. According to RCMP Staff Sgt. Rob Tan, who is part of the emergency response team, the helicopters will soon be used for border patrols between the United States and Canada, beginning on Sunday.

"We will be conducting surveillance in coordination with our ground-based resources, enforcing border security, and taking any necessary actions," Tan stated.

With a lot of the remote and hard-to-reach environments that we can't normally access, we'll be able to explore them and send equipment into those areas.

The Black Hawks meanwhile allow those on board to descend quickly by rope, without needing the helicopter to come down, thus also enabling them to extract and retrieve people more efficiently.

He mentioned that the officers have gone through training to prepare for operating the helicopters, which will enable more officers to be on board or additional support in case enforcement is required.

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The helicopter's capabilities are a great advantage, according to National Emergency Response Team coordinator Sgt. Matthew Wells of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

The Black Hawk's range is determined by the amount of fuel it has onboard. According to standard capacity, the aircraft can travel approximately 370 miles.

We can now transport everyone and all the necessary equipment we need in one helicopter, which would typically require two, three, or even four trips with one helicopter, or multiple helicopters. With just one helicopter, we can complete the same task and mission.

United States Department of Defense will have an "around the clock" aerial surveillance unit to monitor ports of entry on the U.S.-Canada border as part of a plan to handle issues at this border amid increasing pressure from President Trump.

At U.S. borders if there's an increase in illegal crossings.

They inquired about U.S. border crossings and whether the RCMP can detain individuals crossing into the U.S. Bertrand replied that border protection can't be solely handled by one side, citing the fact that having Canadian law enforcement "present" at the border is advantageous.

"By being physically present at the border, we can discourage and prevent criminal activity from entering the United States," Bertrand said.

This story has been revised to accurately reflect the specific aircraft range.