Sanctioned: three Naval Air Squadrons

Hindustan Aeronautical Ltd (HAL) is delivering Jan 2019 new Dornier 228 aircraft fitted with improved ‘state of the art’ sensors and equipment which includes glass cockpit, Advanced Surveillance Radar, ELINT, Optical sensors and networking features.

The aircraft would enhance Maritime Domain Awareness of Indian Navy through round the clock sensor-based surveillance and provide targeting data in areas of operation to ward off terror and other threats from sea.

This addition would further strengthen Indian Navy’s efforts at Coastal Security, said the Defence Ministry on 18 Jan 2019.

HAL (Kanpur) signed a contract for procurement of 12 Dornier aircraft 29 Dec 20 16 with delivery commencing in Jan 19.

This is a substantial contract for the indigenous HAL built Maritime Surveillance version of the Dornier 228 aircraft.

Meanwhile, the aircraft will be part of the three new Naval Air Squadrons to be setup in Gujarat and Tamil Nadu which has been sanctioned the week of 18 Jan 2019.

Besides this, the Central Government has also sanctioned manpower towards manning additional aircraft in existing Dornier Surveillance Squadrons in Kerala and Andaman Islands. fiinews.com