Eurocopter EC135 aircraft have reached a usage milestone in Germany, logging 100,000 flight hours with the German federal police.

The fleet of EC135s flown by federal police squadrons number 41 aircraft. The twin-engine aircraft seats up to eight people, has a maximum cruise speed of 158 mph and a service ceiling of 20,000 feet.

The German federal police use it for medical evacuation missions as well as law enforcement.

"We appreciate the flexibility and the mission portfolio of the EC135 combined with its outstanding reliability," said Thomas Helbig, head of the German federal police air support service.

"The specific mission that achieved the 100,000th flight hour perfectly showcases the capabilities of the EC135: Carried out at night-time with (night vision goggles) and a (forward-looking infrared camera) during a railway surveillance mission, the crew was able to detect the suspects in the very act and coordinate the pursuit, resulting in the successful arrest of the offenders."

The German Federal Aviation Group operates an all-Eurocopter fleet of more than 80 aircraft. In addition to the EC135, it flies the EC155 B for light transportation and multi-role tasks and the AS332 L1 Super Puma for surveillance, maritime missions and disaster relief.

"The flight time logged by the German federal police marks a true milestone for the EC135, as this capable aircraft is given increasingly diverse operational duties for civil security missions in Germany," said Eurocopter Executive Vice President of Programs Wolfgang Schoder.

"It is further evidence of Eurocopter's commitment to delivering state-of-the art products that enable law enforcement agencies to meet demanding missions both today and in the future."