A $21.2 million contract has been issued by Customs and Border Protection to begin production of Mississippi-built Light Enforcement Helicopters.

Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), of Brookhaven, a member of the Senate Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee, made the announcement Tuesday.

The CBP contract, which has a $65.9 million potential value, is for delivery of up to nine LEHs, manufactured by the Airbus plant in Columbus.

“Light Enforcement Helicopters play an effective role in curtailing illegal activities on our borders,” Hyde-Smith said. “This contract represents our continued work to provide CBP with new aircraft to replace old and less-effective aircraft. I’m please aircraft manufacturers in [Mississippi] will continue to contribute to this goal.”

This contract is funded through Fiscal Year 2020 appropriations. The Consolidated Appropriations Act 2021 provides $28.4 million to continue recapitalization of the LEH fleet.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security deploys the multi-mission LEHs for border surveillance and law enforcement missions, including response to illegal border incursions, search and arrest warrants missions, and high-risk area patrols.