ARAS (Lithuania)

This article is about Anti-terrorist Operations Unit. For other uses, see Aras.

Lithuanian Police Anti-terrorist Operations Unit ARAS
Lietuvos policijos antiteroristinių operacijų rinktinė ARAS
Active	1991 – present
Country	Lithuania
Agency	Lithuanian Police Force
Type	Police tactical unit
Operations jurisdiction	National
Website
Official website

ARAS anti-terrorist unit during the exercises with the Armed Forces

Headquarters

The ARAS or Lithuanian Police Anti-terrorist Operations Unit ARAS (Lithuanian: Lietuvos policijos antiteroristinių operacijų rinktinė ARAS) is the tier one police tactical unit of the Lithuanian Police Force and was established in 1991. At first, ARAS's main purpose was to counterterrorism and hostage rescue crisis management, providing security VIP, and suppress organized crime groups that were widely operating in Lithuania in 1990s. In addition, they handled support crowd control and riot control.

Currently, the unit's missions primarily involve anti-irregular military, apprehension of armed and dangerous criminals, counterterrorism and hostage rescue crisis management, executive protection, high-risk tactical law enforcement situations, operating in difficult to access terrain, protecting high-level meeting areas, providing security in areas at risk of attack or terrorism, special reconnaissance in difficult to access and dangerous areas, support crowd control and riot control, support search and rescue, and tactical special operations.

History

In December 2004, the unit was admitted into the ATLAS Network of police tactical units of the European Union countries.

Structure

ARAS consists of a:

• Command,
• Special Team,
• Explosive Search and Neutralization Division,
• Information, analysis and negotiation Division,
• 2 divisions, one of them located in Klaipėda.

The unit also has specialized CBRN defense, climber, combat medic, EOD, K-9, negotiation, reconnaissance, sniper, and tactical diver groups that are necessary to carry out the main functions ascribed to the unit.

Functions

The main functions of ARAS are to:

• organize, manage and implement special antiterrorist operations inside Lithuania;
• hostage rescue and detain dangerous armed criminals under extreme or high danger circumstances;
• search for and neutralize improvised explosive devices and military explosives, used for terrorist or criminal purposes;
• under their competence participate while performing various operative actions, detaining persons, suspected to have performed or planning to commit a crime;
• collect and analyze information related to terrorist threats, cooperate with professional institutions of other countries in this sphere;
• participate in organizing and implementing plans and programs for antiterrorist measures, and other legal acts establishing terrorism prevention.

Equipment and training

ARAS is provided with modern arms and equipment for successful work. There are modern weapons with special sights, night vision equipment, thermo visors, equipment for explosives search, modern equipment for divers, special armour-plated vests, shields and helmets among them.

Nevertheless, all weapons are worthless without competent people. Currently the nucleus of the unit is made up of highly qualified combatants, who have acquired physical and psychological training and are prepared for working under extreme circumstances. Much experience was gained when the officers participated in several courses for special police tactical unit response to critical situations organized by the US State Department, which were included in the international program for the war against terrorism. During these exercises they showed good preparation, and received a high evaluation from the organizers of the courses. Officers from the unit participated in many other courses organized not only in the US, but also by law enforcement institutions of other countries.

Equipment

ARAS operators use a variety of modern weapons, including SIG Sauer P226, Heckler & Koch MP5, G36, SIG SG 551, SIG MCX, PGM Ultima Ratio, PGM Hécate II, AWM-F.

Training

Candidates are selected on the basis of "Delta Force" program criteria. Candidates have their biography's thoroughly checked, the age requirement is not younger than 18 and no older than 30 years, priority is given to non-smokers, 5 years of work experience in any other police branch would be advantage. Those who make it through this barrier have to grapple with the psychological and intelligence tests and have to pass the physical preparation check, especially endurance and emotional stability. Only 2-3 men a year make the cut into this elite group.

External links

• Official website
• Lithuanian police website