Airport Security Unit (Hong Kong)

The Airport Security Unit (ASU; Chinese: 機場特警組) is the airport police of the Hong Kong Police Force (HKPF) tasked with the security of the Hong Kong International Airport.

Airport Security Unit
機場特警組 (Chinese)
Active	14 November 1977 - present[1]
Country	Hong Kong
Agency	Hong Kong Police Force
Type	Airport police
Role	Airport security Anti-hijacking Bodyguard Bomb disposal Close-quarters battle Counter-sniper tactics Crowd control Direct action Force protection Hostage rescue Law enforcement Patrolling Raiding Reconnaissance Security checkpoint Urban warfare
Operations jurisdiction	Hong Kong International Airport
Headquarters	Chek Lap Kok Police station, 8 Catering Road West, Chek Lap Kok
Abbreviation	ASU
Structure
Officers	130[2]
Commanders
Current commander	Chief Inspector Hung Yat Na[3]
Website
police.gov.hk

Airport Security Unit
Traditional Chinese	機場特警組
Simplified Chinese	机场特警组
Literal meaning	Airport Special Police Group
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Jīchǎng Tèjǐng Zǔ Yue: Cantonese Yale Romanization Gēi chèuhng dahk gíng jóu Jyutping Gei1 coeng4 dak6 ging2 zou2

Airport Security Unit officers on duty.

Airport Security Unit officer on patrol with an MP5.

History

The ASU was originally formed in 1977 as the Special Action Squad on standby for security at Kai Tak Airport.

In 1978 following a review it was renamed as the Airport Security Unit and commenced patrolling the airport.^[1]

In 1998, the ASU moved to the Chek Lap Kok Airport.^[1][4]

Duties

ASU is responsible for airport security at primarily targeting terrorist situations such as aircraft hijacking, airport sabotage, irregular forces attack the airport, and so forth, but in urgent situations, is used as a backup force for situations outside of the airport. It's also responsible for supporting the capture of criminals attempting to flee the country via Hong Kong International Airport, including supporting the protection of VIPs traveling to the Hong Kong International Airport.

ASU officers can be identified by their distinctive deep blue uniform and are armed with sub machine guns as well as semi-automatic pistols. They also have different patches.

Training

Applicants for the ASU need to complete a two phase selection course the first phase is a one-day fitness test and the second phase is over four days and then complete a ten-week training course.^[5] The first woman joined the ASU in 2003.^[5]

The ASU has a training range for firing simunition with corridors, rooms and check-in counters to simulate the airport terminal and also a mock-up of an aircraft interior to simulate a plane.^[6][7]

Weapons

Name	Country of origin	Type	Notes
Browning Hi-Power	Belgium	Semi-automatic pistol	Used from 1977 to 2001
Glock 17	Austria		Standard issue sidearm[2]
Sterling SMG	United Kingdom	Submachine gun	Retired from service
Heckler & Koch MP5	Germany		Standard issue SMG[2] deployed in A3 and RAS variants
CS/LS7	China		In service since 2024
Colt AR15	United States	Semi-automatic rifle
KAC SR-16 M4		Assault rifle	One of the standard issue rifles of ASU[2]
Remington 870		Shotgun
Benelli M1	Italy		Status unknown
Heckler & Koch PSG1	Germany	Sniper rifle
Remington Model 700	United States

In popular culture

Compared to other units, the Airport Security Unit rarely appeared in the mass media, and there has yet to be any movie or television dedicated to them. However, the Unit was featured occasionally as part of films typically of the Cantonese-action genre:

Film

• Fatal Termination (1990)
• Purple Storm (1999)
• Gen-Y Cops (2000)
• Hit Team (2001)
• Connected (2008)
• New Police Story movies
• Rush Hour movies
• 2000 AD (film)
• Knock Off (film) (1998)

Television

• Sergeant Tabloid (2012)
• Airport Strikers 「機場特警」(2020)

See also

• Police Tactical Unit (Hong Kong)
• Special Duties Unit
• Special Tactical Squad
• Airport Police Division