The pivotal role played by the Police Helicopter Squadron in life saving, protection of property, fight against the drug scourge, coastal surveillance, monitoring and controlling maritime pollution, medical evacuation and environmental disaster-related contingencies was highlighted by the Prime Minister, Mr Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, this afternoon, at SSR International Airport in Plaisance.
The Prime Minister was speaking at the Commissioning Ceremony of the new Advanced Light Helicopter MK III Dhruv MPH 11. The Commissioner of Police, Mr Anil Kumarsing Dip; the High Commissioner of the Republic of India, Mrs K. Nandini Singla; and other personalities attended the event.
In his address, Mr Jugnauth stated that over the years, the Police Helicopter Squadron has grown in strength and has become an eye in the sky. "Last year, the Police Helicopter Squadron has successfully undertaken 21 Search and Rescue Operations and has made 947 sorties," he informed.
The necessity to invest in security to safeguard the life and property of the population was also underlined by the Prime Minister. He indicated that the principle of protection of life and property extended to the seas and that the responsibility to ensure this protection was shared by the Police Helicopter Squadron and the National Coast Guard.
According to the Prime Minister, the induction of the new Advanced Light Helicopter MK III is in line with the vision of the Mauritius Police Force to adopt technologically-driven solutions to combat crimes and provide search and rescue services. He affirmed that the aircraft will substantially increase the operational capabilities of the National Coast Guard and the Police Helicopter Squadron in countering maritime crime and improve maritime security. "We can say that the new Dhruv will contribute to the general goal of maintaining peace, security and prosperity for all in the Indian Ocean," said Mr Jugnauth.
Moreover, he pointed out that the future holds the promises of better capabilities for the Mauritius Police Force with continued induction of technology and state-of-the-art assets. "Government is currently working on projects to replace the existing surveillance radar stations across Mauritius with state-of-the-art equipment and has also approved the acquisition of one multipurpose offshore patrol vessel for the National Coast Guard," he added.
For the Prime Minister, the induction of this new variant of Dhruv is yet another milestone in the long-standing bilateral relationship between Mauritius and India. He recalled that the links between Mauritius and India, in the area of internal and maritime security, dates back to half a century with the coming into operation of the Police Helicopter Squadron. Mr Jugnauth thanked the Government of India, the Indian Air Force, and the High Commissioner of India to Mauritius for their relentless support.
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The major characteristics of the Advanced Light Helicopter MK III, designed and developed by the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, were also put forward by Mr Jugnauth. The new helicopter has been designed to land on ships under high sea state conditions and on small and restricted helipads. It is equipped with the latest avionic technologies and night flying capabilities, is capable of carrying up to 14 passengers and has an internal fuel capacity which gives it an endurance of three hours 15 minutes in ideal conditions.
The Advanced Light Helicopter MK III is additionally fitted with high intensity search light which enables detection of objects during dark light missions. It features electro-optical infrared pod which provides optimal observation, surveillance, tracking and targeting capabilities in all weather conditions.
It is noted that the contract to acquire the new aircraft was initiated by the Government of Mauritius in January 2022, following the commissioning of the Passenger Variant Dornier Aircraft in April 2022. The current fleet of the Police Helicopter Squadron comprises four Chetaks, one Fennec, and three Dhruvs.
