Sikorsky announced at Heli-Expo that it has received an order for an S-92 from North Slope Borough, Alaska. Located above the Arctic Circle, the area that encompasses nearly 95,000 sq mi is larger than 39 of the 50 U.S. states and experiences some of the world’s harshest cold weather conditions, with wind chill temperatures as low as -55 degrees F.

The helicopter, which will be outfitted for aeromedical transport and search-and-rescue, will be delivered next year and will join a pair of enhanced night-vision-equipped Bell 412s in the Borough’s fleet. “Operating search-and-rescue missions on the North Slope is critical to the life and safety of our residents,” noted North Slope Borough mayor Charlotte Brower. “The gravity of the missions we take on requires that our equipment is uniquely capable of and outfitted for speed and a long reach in icing conditions when someone’s life hangs in the balance, and we are pleased to be adding a Sikorsky helicopter to our fleet to better meet those needs.”

The Connecticut-based helicopter manufacturer has delivered 240 S-92s since the model’s introduction in 2004. “Igor Sikorsky’s vision was for the helicopter to be used in a lifesaving role,” noted Shane Eddy, president of Sikorsky Commercial Systems and Services. “North Slope Borough’s S-92 helicopter selection and mission is the foundation of Sikorsky Aircraft’s legacy.”