On 22 November 2006, the Spanish Interior Ministry signed a protocol with Eurocopter to launch a program to renew the country’s fleet for its law enforcement agencies.
The 48 EC135s stipulated in the contract will modernize the resources of the Spanish Police and Civil Guard, and will be used to perform police surveillance missions (with night vision goggles and infrared cameras) and mountain rescues (with a hoist).
The plan, which was approved by the Spanish Cabinet, calls for the delivery of six helicopters per year over an eight-year period.
The first four EC135s were delivered in Madrid on 28 December 2006.

“This program has reinforced Eurocopter’s presence in Spain and increased the role of the new site in Albacete, where we will start assembling EC135s in the next few months,” explained Jesús Ruiz, the Customer and Commercial Programs Senior Vice-President at Eurocopter España.