Metropolitan Police Air Support Unit
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The Air Support Unit (ASU) provides aerial reconnaissance and other air support operations for the Metropolitan Police Service over London and its suburbs.
The ASU operates three Eurocopter AS355N Ecureuil (Twin Squirrel) helicopters, out of a base at Lippitts Hill near Loughton, Essex. Police helicopters in the United Kingdom generally operate under the callsign 'India 99'.
The three helicopters are subject to low reliability rates, currently one helicopter is out for long-term maintenance, another short term and the only operational aircraft frequently suffers minor problems. The current range of the aircraft is 1-1.5 hours however in early 2007 the unit will receive the first of £15M worth of new helicopers (out of an order of 3) which will have far more sophisticated equipment, and can fly for up to 3 hours.
The unit featured in Air Cops on BBC1 19 October 2006
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