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President lauds Air Force's rescue efforts, defense capabilities

ROC Central News Agency

2012/07/10 16:05:42

Taipei, July 10 (CNA) President Ma Ying-jeou praised the Air Force's defense capabilities and rescue response efforts during a ceremony Tuesday to commission three new search-and-rescue helicopters purchased from France.

The EC225 Super Puma helicopters will beef up the Air Force's disaster response capabilities, Ma said at the ceremony in Taipei.

The advanced EC225 helicopters, which Eurocopter delivered to Taiwan's military last November, marked the first time Europe-made choppers have been incorporated into the Air Force's rescue squadron.

Since taking office in May 2008, Ma has reiterated the importance of the military's role in rescue and relief operations in peacetime and its ability to maintain combat readiness for a potential war.

"The military has won the public's trust through its rescue efforts," Ma said in a six-minute speech.

At the ceremony, the Air Force also showcased the EC225's ability to airlift people from the ground. Another demonstration featured the S-70C helicopter, currently the backbone of the rescue squadron.

Shortly after his speech, the president boarded one of the three EC225s. He was briefed on the features of the chopper before giving the thumbs-up to the aircraft.

Col. Chen Tung-sheng, head of the Air Force's rescue squadron, said that with automatic flight control systems and other advanced devices, the new choppers will boost the squadron's rescue ability, especially "during nighttime operations."

The three EC225s will be on standby to provide rescue assistance beginning Wednesday, he said.

"We aim to gradually train the pilots on the rescue squadron to be able to fly both types of helicopters," Chen said, noting that seven of the squadron's pilots can currently fly both the EC225 and the S-70C.

The Air Force's rescue squadron mainly consists of S-70C choppers from United States-based Sikorsky Aircraft Corp.

Compared with S-70Cs that use a four-blade rotor, the all-weather EC225 helicopters have five-blade main rotors that can reduce vibration levels and increase capacity to up to 24 passengers.

The three EC-225 choppers, which cost US$110 million, are also equipped with de-icing systems, life rafts, electrocardiograph machines, breathing machines and other advanced devices.

(By Elaine Hou)