Indian naval air arm boosts force levels
Beset by ageing legacy airframes, the Indian Navy is making progress in efforts to induct newer rotary-winged and fixed-wing aircraft.
Indian Navy (IN) aviation is expanding with capacity and capability enhancements.
Adm Karambir Singh, Chief of Naval Staff, revealed details about new aircraft acquisitions at a Navy Week press conference on 3 December.
‘As regards aviation, we inducted three ALH [Advanced Light Helicopter] Mk III, four Chetak [SA 316/319B Alouette], eight Dornier and one P-8I aircraft this year,’ Singh said, adding that deliveries of the first of 24 MH-60R helicopters are to commence next year.
He also remarked that contracts for the procurement of six P-8Is, six Ka-31 airborne early-warning helicopters and the upgrade of six Heron UAVs were ‘likely
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