Beijing 999 Emergency Rescue Center (Beijing 999), a subsidiary of Beijing Red Cross Foundation, has ordered one Airbus Helicopters H145, the first of its kind to be configured with a hoist for medical and search and rescue (SAR) in China.

The rotorcraft, scheduled for delivery by 2019, will be used to develop airborne mountain rescue services in preparation for the 2022 Winter Olympic Games in Beijing.

Beijing 999 currently operates two H135s, the first fully-equipped air ambulance in the country, providing emergency medical services (EMS) around Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei region in China.

The new H145 will be the first in China equipped with both a hoist and a full medical interior, allowing it to perform either mountain rescue operations or long range air ambulance transfer. It is also equipped with a weather radar and floats.