Article Posted on : - Jun 06, 2014

ARAKKONAM, TAMIL NADU (PTI): The Indian Navy plans to induct state-of-the-art helicopters attached to its warships across the nation as part of its substantial modernisation programme, a senior naval official said has said.

"We are building a modern air arm to add our capacity at sea. The Navy is looking at inducting state-of-the-art helicopters with latest standards, variants and weapons. The MRH (Multirole helicopter), NUH (Naval Utility Helicopter) are some of these of the programmes in the rotary wing ambit," Rear Admiral Devender M Sudan, Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (Air), said.

After reviewing the passing out parade of nine naval and four Coast Guard helicopter pilots at the INS Rajali Naval Base in Arakkonam, he observed that the Navy was focusing on choppers.

"Besides the long range maritime reconnaissance aircraft like the TU (Tu 142), and the newly inducted P-8I, that extend our reach, it is the ship's integral helicopters, which act as force multipliers, for the surface platforms at sea," he said.

The pilots underwent 22 weeks training at the Helicopter Training School (INAS 561), from which 599 pilots for the Indian Navy and Coast Guard have graduated so far. The school was also adjudged the "Best Naval Air Squadron" among 13 others of the Indian Navy during 2012-13.

The Helicopter Training School is located in INS Rajali Naval Base camp, the largest such facility in the Indian Navy.