Arsen Avakov: 15 Helicopter Bases And Service Center «Airbus Helicopters» Will Work In Ukraine (PHOTO)
The Minister of Internal Affairs said it today, October 4, during a working visit to France.
"We have learned the experience of all the advanced countries that have aviation security system. And we identified for ourselves three main challenges - technical re-equipment, training and organizational issues. The first issue we solved with the help of the company "Airbus Helicopters". We agreed that buy 55 helicopters for our needs. Already this year, the first four will be in Ukraine. As part of the agreement our French partners also help us to train our personnel. Today, the first eight pilots are already undergoing training in France and we had the opportunity to talk to them and hear their impressions, "Arsen Avakov said.
The delegation of the Ministry of Internal Affairs visited the plant "Airbus Helicopters" and has seen the process of assembling helicopters, including those to be delivered to Ukraine.
The delegation of the Ministry of Internal Affairs visited the plant "Airbus Helicopters" and has seen the process of assembling helicopters, including those to be delivered to Ukraine.
Arsen Avakov stressed that Ukraine will open a service center for French helicopters.
"In Ukraine, we will open the service center "Airbus Helicopters", we will create additional jobs. Previously, we plan that 15 bases will start operating throughout the country, where our helicopter groups will be located. The key one will be located in the city of Nizhyn, as well as along the borders of Ukraine. But the whole system will work as a single mechanism," - he said.
The Minister stressed that the system of aviation security and civil protection of the Ministry of Internal Affairs is extremely complex and requires detailed planning.
"This system is complicated, and we will deal with it during several years. But we also organize such work trips to get acquainted with the technical details. Within the contact with the French company the French specialists will assist us in maintenance at first, but this is only until we prepare our technicians," - the Minister said.
The Head of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine Mykola Chechotkin said that SES is already actively training personnel and expects the first three helicopters from the French company.
"Right now, our pilots are training in France. Two of them already have experience with the helicopter H145 type, and now they are training to operate the H225 type helicopter. And at the end of October, we will send more personnel which will be trained on the technical capabilities of these helicopters and it will deal with the maintenance of such helicopters. Training of our personnel is under the contract "- said Mykola Chechotkin.
In addition, representatives of the Ministry of Internal Affairs visited the National Base of the Civil Security and Emergency Services of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the French Republic in Nimes. This service deals with search and rescue operations, as well as coordinates search activities. Also, the task of the service is medical evacuation, when in cooperation with the medical fleet, civil security specialists provide primary and secondary assistance.
Communication Department of the MIA of Ukraine
Photo by Julia Babich
