INDIAN NAVAL AVIATION AN OVERVIEW

The Naval aviation formally took birth with the commissioning of INS Garuda, a Naval air
Station at Kochi on 11 May 1953. Earlier, the first Indian Naval Aircraft, the Shorts Sealand, had
landed at Kochi on 04 Feb 1953. The aircraft joined the Fleet Requirement Unit, which later became
the first Indian Naval Air Squadron INAS 550 on 17 Jun 1959.

This set the pace for further growth and in time the Indian Navy would boast of the aircraft
carrier INS Vikrant with its squadrons of Sea Hawk fighter jets, the Aliz anti-submarine aircraft and
the Allouette III helicopter. Vikrant would over time prove her worth in the liberation operations of Goa
and in the Indo-Pak wars.

The Navy has since set up Air Stations along our maritime borders with INS Hansa at Goa,
INS Utkrosh at Port Blair, INS Dega at Visakhapatnam, INS Rajali at Arakkonam, INS Shikra at
Mumbai and INS Parundu at Ramnad.

Various aircraft covering all dimensions of Naval Warfare have since been added including the
advanced multi role Seaking and Kamov helicopters including The Eye in the Sky Kamov 31, as well
as the Islander, Dornier, IL 38 and Tu 142M anti submarine and maritime patrol aircraft besides the
Vertical/Short take off and landing capable Sea Harrier jets. The recent additions to Naval Air Arm
include the indigenous ALH, Heron and Searcher UAVs and the proverbial game changers, the
MiG 29K.

With the induction of the second aircraft carrier, INS Viraat, Indian Navy came of age, adding
more punch to the power of the Indian Navy. This is going to receive a further impetus with the
forthcoming inductions of INS Vikramaditya (ex-Gorshkov) which is currently undergoing refit/re-
equipping as well as that of under construction Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC).

This air power at sea is backed by state of the art maintenance and logistics facilities invested
in Naval Aircraft Yards based at Kochi and Goa, and with support facilities at all the Naval Air
Stations.

Naval Institute of Aeronautical Technology is the alma mater for the air technical officers and
sailors. This institute was established on 03 Jun 1957 at Kochi and is now an ISO 9001 recognised
establishment. The courses conducted by the institute for air technical officers have been granted
recognition by Goa University and Cochin University for Science and Technology for the award of PG
Diploma (Aeronautical).

Naval Aviation is poised to grow in tandem with the overall growth of the Indian Navy. This
growth is envisaged to be in terms of platforms as well as technologies. The induction of UAV and
AEW helicopters have introduced a new dimension to maritime air warfare. Indigenous development
programmes involving fixed wing aircraft, helicopters, air borne sensors and weapons are expected to
ensure self-reliance in the future. Selective import of platforms and technologies would also be
resorted to towards specific needs.