| INAS 322 | |
|---|---|
| Active | 12 November 2013 - present [1] |
| Country |  India |
| Branch |  Indian Navy |
| Garrison/HQ | INS Garuda, Kochi [2] |
| Nickname(s) | The Guardians |
| Aircraft flown | |
| Multirole helicopter | HAL Dhruv [3] |
The INAS 322 is an Indian naval air squadron based at INS Garuda, Kochi. [4]
The Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH), also known as 'Dhruv', is the first indigenously designed and manufactured helicopter by HAL Bangalore. ALH was inducted into the Indian Navy on 28 March 2002. The Intensive Flying and Trials Unit (IFTU), formed at INS Garuda on 10 February 2003, undertook three years of intensive flying trials and evaluations. Post completion, the aircraft was cleared for operational exploitation and ALH Flights were established at Kochi and Goa on 1 September 2005. With the amalgamation of the two units in December 2009, ALH Flight Kochi remains the sole ALH operating unit in the Navy. The first ALH squadron was commissioned on 12 November 2013 at INS Garuda, Kochi. The ALH is being employed for a variety of missions including Advanced Search and Rescue, Special Heli-Borne Operations, Armed Patrol, Sniper Ops, VVIP Carriage and Night SAR. Cdr Ravi Sivasankar is the first Commanding Officer of the squadron. [5]
On 27 April 2016, the Indian Navy stationed an ALH MK III at Maldives, to be based at Kadhdhoo Island in Laamu Atol. The helicopter will assist the Maldives National Defence Force in undertaking search and rescue, casualty evacuation, coastal surveillance, maritime reconnaissance, communication and logistic duties. The Indian Naval Contingent is headed by Cdr Rohit Gupte and comprises 4 officers and 21 sailors. The technical support team comprises 13 technicians and is headed by Lt Cdr Jithu K Joy. The support team with the spares and support equipment reached Male on 25 April 2016. [6] [7] [8]
The Indian Navy (IN) is the maritime branch of the Indian Armed Forces. The President of India is the Supreme Commander of the Indian Navy. The Chief of Naval Staff, a four-star admiral, commands the navy. As a blue-water navy, it operates significantly in the Persian Gulf Region, the Horn of Africa, the Strait of Malacca, and routinely conducts anti-piracy operations and partners with other navies in the region. It also conducts routine two to three month-long deployments in the South and East China seas as well as the western Mediterranean sea simultaneously.
The HAL Dhruv is a utility helicopter designed and developed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in November 1984. The helicopter first flew in 1992; its development was prolonged due to multiple factors including the Indian Army's requirement for design changes, budget restrictions, and sanctions placed on India following the 1998 Pokhran-II nuclear tests. The name comes from a Sanskrit origin word dhruv which means unshakeable or firm.
The Indian Naval Air Arm is the aviation branch and a fighting arm of the Indian Navy which is tasked to provide an aircraft carrier based strike capability, fleet air defence, maritime reconnaissance, and anti-submarine warfare.
Porbandar Airport is a public airport in Porbandar, Gujarat, India. Currently, civilian flights are not operational. Apart from civilian operations it also has a military presence in the form of INAS 343 of the Indian Navy and CGAE Porbandar of the Indian Coast Guard. A new terminal building was opened in April 2008. There are currently no scheduled passenger flights from the airport.
INS Rajali, is an Indian naval air station located near Arakkonam, Ranipet district, Tamil Nadu in southern India. It operates under the Southern Naval Command of the Indian Navy, and has the longest military runway in Asia.
INS Garuda, is an Indian naval air station located in Kochi, in the state of Kerala. Commissioned on 11 May 1953, it is the oldest operating air station of the Indian Navy.
INAS 342 is an Indian Naval air squadron, operating unmanned aerial vehicles, based at INS Garuda, Kochi.
INS Hansa, is an Indian naval air station located near Dabolim in Goa, India. It is India's biggest naval airbase. The military air base has a civil enclave, that operates as Dabolim Airport.
INS Dega, is a naval air station of the Indian Navy. It is located in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh on the east coast of India.
The HAL Rudra, also known as ALH-WSI, is an armed version of the HAL Dhruv utility helicopter which is designed and produced by the Indian aerospace manufacturer Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).
The INAS 312 is an Indian naval air squadron based at INS Rajali.
The INAS 318 is an Indian naval air squadron based at INS Utkrosh, Port Blair.
The INAS 330 is an Indian naval air squadron based at INS Shikra, Mumbai.
The INAS 333 is an Indian naval air squadron based at INS Dega, Visakhapatnam.
The INAS 336 is an Indian naval air squadron based at INS Garuda, Kochi.
The INAS 339 is an Indian naval air squadron based at INS Hansa, Goa.
The INAS 550 is an Indian naval air squadron based at INS Venduruthy, Kochi.
The INAS 551 is an Indian naval air squadron based at INS Dega, Visakhapatnam.
The INAS 323 is an Indian naval air squadron based at INS Hansa, Goa. It operates the multi-role helicopter HAL Dhruv in maritime configuration. The primary role of the squadron is Search and Rescue, Special Operations and Coastal Surveillance.
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