228 was ordered from India to form a maritime surveillance element by July 1991. This aircraft was reinforced in 1992 by a single twin turbo prop BN-2T Maritime Defender for coastal patrol work. A second HAL Dornier 228 was added to the fleet in 2004 and a third in 2016. National Security Service The National Security Service (NSS) is the branch of the MPF which handles matters of national security. It was formerly known as National Intelligence Unit (NIU) and State Security Service (SSS). During British rule it was known as Special Branch. Police Helicopter Squadron The Police Helicopter Squadron (PHS) is a branch of the MPF that was established in 1974 and its main roles are search and rescue and casualty evacuation both inland and at sea; combatting gandia cultivation; traffic patrol and escort of convoys; and VIP transport. The helicopter fleet consists of four HAL Chetak, one Eurocopter Fennec AS555 and Two HAL Dhruv. The Dhruv helicopter entered service in 2009 followed by MK.3 variant in 2023. Two refurbished Chetak helicopters were gifted by India in 2016. Special Mobile Force Mauritius does not have a standing army; the Special Mobile Force (SMF) a branch of the MPF, is a paramilitary force established in 1960 following the withdrawal of two companies of the British East African land forces. The SMF recruited World War II veterans and select police officers and was commanded by British commanders until 1978. The 1,500-member Special Mobile Force (SMF) and the 500-member National Coast Guard are the only two paramilitary units in Mauritius. Both units are composed of police officers on lengthy rotations to those services. The SMF is a motorized infantry battalion with five companies, an engineering squadron, and a mobile wing comprising two squadrons equipped with armored vehicles. The SMF training is based on conventional military tactics focused on internal security. It engages extensively in civic works projects. The SMF has a police tactical unit established in 1979, the Groupement d’Intervention de la Police Mauricienne (GIPM). The GIPM trains with the French National Gendarmerie police tactical unit Groupe d'intervention de la Gendarmerie nationale (GIGN) and the French Army 2e RPIMa. Special Support Unit The Special Support Unit (SSU), a branch of the MPF, is a police riot unit that was established in 1986. The SSU consists of five operational units and a training wing. Police Band The police band of the MPF is