Four UHI-ST helicopters that are part of the Aerial Training Program that the United States maintains with Costa Rica arrived to the country this Friday, March 8; the choppers came aboard a Globemaster C-17 plane and as of this moment the process of assembly of the airlines begins as well as the training of pilots and those in charge of maintenance.

The United States will be in charge of these helicopters for a period of two years, during this time they will handle maintenance, purchase necessary parts and will be training pilots and maintenance staff; the Costa Rican Air Surveillance Service (SVA) will be in charge of the operational costs. After these first two years go by the aircrafts will then be transferred to the SVA permanently.

These choppers will increase the capacity of the SVA to give aerial support in the attention of emergencies, humanitarian help, transportation of equipment and personnel to remote locations and preventive patrolling. The UHI-ST can operate in mountainous terrain and variable conditions, which makes them ideal for the country’s diverse geography.

A team of 20 aviation experts will remain in Base 2 until the conclusion of the training program.

The Aerial Training Program was established in 2009 in Costa Rica and it was carried out by the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) of the United States in alliance with the Government of Costa Rica.

Its main objective is to support the Costa Rican government in the strengthening of its operations to battle drug trafficking and aerial or maritime criminal activities as well as increasing the capacity of the country to handle natural disasters and humanitarian crisis.

The total value of this project is of $48 million dollars and it includes the four helicopters their reconditioning, maintenance, parts and training of the SVA members.