Belgium's national police force, the Gendarmerie, has taken delivery of its first McDonnell Douglas Helicopter Systems MD Explorer helicopter. A second will be delivered in June, and the force also has an option on a third. The Explorer will replace four ageing Sud-Aviation Alouette IIs and an Aerospatiale Puma. The helicopters will be based at Melsbroek air force base, near Brussels, where a new maintenance unit is under construction. The Gendarmerie plans to fly each Explorer for about 600h a year.
Source: Flight International
