NPAS performance update – May 2025
The National Police Air Service (NPAS) continues to provide vital aerial support to police forces across England and Wales. This update outlines our performance in May 2025, highlighting key achievements and areas of focus.
Aircraft availability
In May, our aircraft were available for deployment 70.7% of the time. While this is slightly lower than April’s 73.6%, it reflects ongoing efforts to balance operational readiness with essential maintenance.
Response times
We aim to respond quickly to incidents where air support can make a difference:
- Priority 1 (urgent) incidents: Average response time was 12 minutes and 33 seconds
- Priority 2 incidents: Average response time was 20 minutes and 33 seconds
These times remain within acceptable thresholds, ensuring timely support to officers on the ground.
Operational impact
In May, NPAS aircraft were deployed 1,154 times in response to calls for service – an increase in demand compared to April.
Our crews continued to deliver strong results on the ground:
- 216 vulnerable people were located
- 598 suspects were found
- 285 vehicles were recovered
Overall, 87.6% of attended deployments led to a positive outcome, demonstrating the continued value of air support in frontline policing.
Flying hours so far
Since the start of the financial year:
- Rotary aircraft have flown 1,402 hours
- Fixed wing aircraft have flown 131 hours
- Supported 22 forces and completed 32 hours of patrols
