Australia Coastwatch Gets EC145

Australia's customs service has taken delivery of a Eurocopter EC145 to help protect that nation's northern borders. new rapid response helicopter. Based at Gove in the Northern Territory, the aircraft is contracted from Helicopters (Australia) Pty Ltd through June 2010 and is assigned to quickly respond to suspected or actual border incidents along the Arnhem coastline and the Gulf of Carpentaria. It is the latest addition to the Customs Coastwatch fleet, which patrols for illegal foreign fishing, people, drug and weapon smugglers, and quarantine and environmental risks. For related news