Finmeccanica‘s AgustaWestland recently said that the Government of Estonia recently gave approval for the purchase of a third AW139 helicopter for the Border Guard to perform search and rescue, medical evacuation and border patrol duties.
The order for a third AW139 follows the successful introduction into service of the initial aircraft and highlights the customer’s satisfaction with the helicopter, training and support provided by AgustaWestland, the company said.
This aircraft will be delivered in the last quarter 2010 and based at Kuressaare Airport (Saaremaa Island) in 2011 when a new base will be opened, allowing faster coverage in the Western area of Estonia.
The second AW139 was delivered in early December and is based in Tallinn together with the first aircraft.
These helicopters will ensure that the work of guarding the external borders and the border control infrastructure are in compliance with the European Schengen zone requirements.
Since the start of operations in October 2007, the first Estonian Border Guard AW139 has successfully accomplished a number of search and rescue and patrol missions in demanding conditions, dramatically enhancing operational effectiveness and border security, the company added.