The aircraft has a cost of $11.3 million and were made available by the U.S. Government. UU. At the Octavio Rodríguez air base, in Panama Pacific, President Laurentino Cortizo received eight helicopters from a United States cooperation program, which will be used to combat drug trafficking.

The aircraft cost $11.3 million and were made available by the United States Government through the International Bureau of Anti-narcotic Affairs and Law Enforcement of the U.S. Embassy in Panama.

Cortizo thanked the US government through its diplomatic representation in Panama and recalled the good relations of cooperation and goodwill that exist between the two countries.

The president stressed that the air capacity of the country contributes to greater efficiency in the operations of the National Aeronaval Service, especially in the fight against drug trafficking and irregular migration.

With that delivery, six single-engine UH-1S helicopters are replaced by the INL-SENAN Aviation Program, to be incorporated into the flight line.

These new aircraft also contribute to reinforcing relay operations in binational posts, as well as humanitarian tasks that include search and rescue and aeromedical evacuations.

In 2019, the United States Government donated the 6 UH-1H(S) helicopters for the continuity of the program to combat drug trafficking and the control of irregular migration.

While on February 28, 2023, Amendment No. 27 was signed, a maneuver that sought to replace the old helicopters with 8 twin-engine helicopters model UH1ST, with the aim of expanding the response in the mission it carries out.

Since 2014, the INL-SENAN Aviation Program used 6 single-engine helicopters model UH-1H(S) for operations against drug trafficking and irregular migration under Amendment No. 23.