NSW Police Add New Armoured BearCats to Fleet

NSW Police has announced it has acquired an additional five Lenco BearCats to its fleet.

The heavily-armoured vehicles are assigned to the Tactical Operations Unit (TOU) for use in situations where “protection from hostile weapon fire and a safe base of operations is required”.

Based on the Ford F550, the Lenco BearCats are powered by a 6.7-litre ‘Powerstroke’ turbo-diesel V8 engine producing 246kW and 1288Nm, mated to a 10-speed automatic transmission.

While NSW Police previously only had one BearCat, the additional five make it the most of any police department in Australia – at a cost of $3.5 million to NSW taxpayers.

In an Australian first, one BearCat has been fitted with an extendable ramp – allowing quick access to multi-storey buildings and aircraft – and will be stationed in the Sydney metropolitan area, with the four other vehicles to be deployed to northern, western, and southern areas of New South Wales.

The distribution of the vehicles will allow police to respond more quickly to critical incidents across the state.

Weighing in at nine tonnes each, the BearCats feature ballistic-rated exterior armour with riot shields, rotating roof hatches, spotlights, external speakers, and high-tech cameras.

According to NSW Police, the Lenco BearCats were chosen after a three-year process.