ARAS (Lithuania)

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

The ARAS, formally Lithuanian Police Anti-terrorist Operations Unit ARAS (Lithuanian: Lietuvos policijos antiteroristinių operacijų rinktinė ARAS), is the police tactical unit of the Lithuanian Police Force, established in 1991.^[1]

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

History

ARAS's initial purpose was to suppress organized crime groups that were operating in Lithuania in 1990s.^[2] In addition, they handled riot suppression, peace keeping, and escort.^[2]

In December 2004, the unit was admitted into the ATLAS Network of police tactical units of the European Union countries.^[3]

Aras does several hundred domestic and international operations in a typical year, most of which are never publicized.^[4]

Structure

ARAS consists of a:

• Command,
• Special Team,
• Explosive Search and Neutralization Division,^[5]
• 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.^[6]

Equipment

ARAS operators use a variety of modern weapons, including:^[7][8]

Model	Type	Origin
SIG Sauer P226	Semi-automatic pistol	Germany
Heckler & Koch MP5	Submachine gun
Heckler & Koch G36	Assault rifle
SIG SG 551		Switzerland
SIG MCX		United States
PGM Ultima Ratio	Sniper rifle	France
PGM Hécate II
AWM-F		United Kingdom

Aras equipment also includes armored vehicles, boats, helicopters and various aerial, land and naval drones.^[9][10][11]