[Electronic Translation of local language press release]

Roseanna Sarney Governor delivery on Monday (13), the 15h, the Headquarters of the General Command of the Military Police (Rock), a model EC145 helicopter, equipped with high technology to enhance the operations of the Public Security Bureau in the fight crime across the Maranhão. The state is the first Latin American to receive the model.

The acquisition of the aircraft, which will support the work of the Tactical Air Group (TAG) is the result of an agreement signed by the Ministry of Justice (MOJ), through the National Security and Citizenship (Pronasci) and Government of Maranhão . The amount invested was U.S. $ 14.9 million.

The helicopter will serve the fundamental and operational services to the population in the areas of health and safety. Maranhão is the first state to acquire an aircraft with these characteristics. Therefore, combating violence and trafficking in drugs, patrolling and earn a life-saving essential support, said Secretary of State for Public Security, Aluísio Mendes.

Besides the daily policing, high performance helicopter will also be used in missions that involve the GTA escort and surveillance of prisoners, operations of eradicating marijuana cultivation, suppression assaults on banks, rescue missions, support in fighting rebellions in prisons, and rescue and transportation of patients.

The aircraft is certified for instrument flight monopilotado. Its setting has expertise to help combat operations and aeromedical. It has load hook, wire-cutter, anti-sand, searchlight, sliding side doors, rear door with the possibility of entry and exit of stretchers, folding stretchers, fixed part of the rescue winch, external device for rappelling and fast rope , communications equipment and radio-navigation system, autopilot and GPS digital.

It has a spacious interior and excellent visibility. Capacity for two pilots and 10 passengers. Its takeoff weight of 3,585 kg; external load of 1,500 kg; travel speed of 246 kmhh, range 680 km; twin engine motors, length with rotors turning 13.03 m, length of the fuselage 10.20 m height; 3.45 m and main rotor diameter of 11m.

There are only 300 aircraft in similar activities in 32 countries. To operate it, four riders of Maranhao – a military policeman, a fireman and two military policemen – traveled to Germany, where they were trained by specialists of the plant responsible for building the model in order to build capacity for handling operational aircraft.

The Tactical Air Operations Group will strengthen the model EC145 helicopter. Linked to the SSP, TAG was created in late 1996 and was regulated in 1998 with the goal of addressing organized crime, and from this came the need for deployment of a group specializing in these types of operations in the state.

Then came the seed for the creation of the GTA. The desire of government and society itself, there was the intention of forming a group that supported the police in preventive and repressive operations, involving the organs of State Security, said Anselmo da Silva Azevedo, sub-section chief of operations Tactical Air Group.

The group currently has a staff of 44 specialists in activity areas, land and water in order to face the fight against crime and drug trafficking in the capital and the hinterland. There are 33 military policemen, seven of Firefighters, four policemen, and a federal agent as the coordinator of operations.

The Group operates three helicopters and three airplanes Squirrel, two Cessna C210 models and 01 SENECA 3. The GTA also operates with an armored vehicle for tactical intervention, five vehicles, a tanker truck and a vehicle mischaracterized. Use weapons like rifles 556, paragraph 40 machine guns and pistols, grenade launcher non-lethal, ballistic shields, materials for pre-hospital care, materials for working at height, materials and armaments individual, among other equipment.