Border Guard Flight Squadron (Estonia)

Border Guard Flight Squadron
Piirivalve lennusalk
Country	Estonia
Branch	Estonian Border Guard
Role	Border patrol, search and rescue
Headquarters	Tallinn
Aircraft flown
Helicopter	AW139
Observation helicopter	Enstrom 480
Patrol	L-410UVP, Cessna 172R

The Border Guard Flight Squadron (Estonian: Piirivalve lennusalk) is a mixed helicopter and airplane flight squadron of the Estonian Border Guard, subject to the Police and Border Guard Board. The squadron is a rapid response search and rescue unit, which also conducts the usual border control and monitoring operations.

History

The unit was established in 1993 under the name of States Flight Squadron. On 22 April 1997 the unit was reorganized and later renamed into Border Guard Flight Squadron.

Modernization

In 2000s the squadron has received some new equipment in the terms of modern search and rescue helicopters. In 2011 the unit opened another air base in Saaremaa at the Kuressaare Airport.

Equipment

Aircraft	Origin	Type	In service	Notes
Let L-410UVP	Czech Republic	transport and patrol aircraft	2
Cessna 172R	United States	training and patrol aircraft	1
AgustaWestland AW139	Italy	search and rescue helicopter	3
Enstrom 480	United States	training and patrol helicopter	1

Former equipment:

• Mi-8

References and sources