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Round-the-clock air support for the Isle of Wight is being promised by Hampshire police, despite a cut in the number of helicopters available.
It comes as a new National Police Air Service is launched.
Under the new national arrangements, Hampshire police will be sent the nearest available helicopter, wherever that may be.
Previously, if either of the South East Air Support Unit's helicopters were unavailable there was no set policy to make sure another would be sent.
But the new scheme will also see a cut in the helicopter fleet from 31 aircraft to 25, with three in reserve.
The force says despite the reduction, overall air support across the country will increase by 8 per cent and the whole of Hampshire will receive air support withn 20 minutes.
It adds the new service is 20 per cent less expensive than the current set-up.
When the roll out is complete, there will be three helicopter bases positioned close to Hampshire's borders in the North, West and East – Bournemouth Airport, Redhill Aerodrome in Surrey and RAF Benson in Oxfordshire - with emergency deployment managed by the Force Control Room, via electronic links to the NPAS despatch centre in West Yorkshire.
NPAS will be introduced transitionally, starting with the South East region, and will be completely rolled out by 2015 with Wiltshire Police set to be the final force to join.
Assistant Chief Constable John Campbell said: “The National Police Air Service will be a strong, operationally resilient service and will come at less cost to the tax payer.
“Under NPAS, every force will have fast and easy access to air support unrestricted by force geography and, through collaboration, even if one helicopter is already out on deployment, another one will always be available.
“This is another step towards a more joined-up approach to policing and will ensure continuity in the quality of air support across all forces,” he added.
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