INDIAN NAVAL AVIATION THE LEGACY

Origin

It is to the credit of the vision of those at the helm in early post-independence era
that saw the Indian Navy depute a Royal Indian Navy officer, Lt YN Singh, Indias first
naval pilot to the United Kingdom and Canada in 1941 for Basic Pilot Training. In due
course he gained experience on escort carriers of the RN during the Second World
War.

With no aircraft or carriers being spared by the RN, IN decided to look elsewhere
for aircraft and to set up a shore based arm in preparation for future expansion. In 1948
thirteen young officers were sent to the IAF for preliminary flying aptitude screening. Of
these ten went to the UK for training at RNAS Donisbristle in Scotland. Five of these
brave men eventually earned their wings and moved on for Operational Flying Training
(OFT) as pioneers of the Indian Fleet Air Arm.


Formation of Fleet Requirement Unit.

The airfield at Cochin was taken over by Indian Navy from the Civil Aviation on
01 Jan 53. The first Sealand touched down at Cochin airfield on 04 Feb 53. The Fleet
Requirement Unit (FRU) was commissioned on 11 Mar 53.


Firefly

First Naval Air Station. The first Naval Air Station was commissioned as INS
Garuda at Kochi on 11 May 1953. Two Firefly Mark 1 target towing aircraft were
acquired and these arrived in Cochin (Kochi) on 14 Feb 1955. To maintain continuity of
flying proficiency after earning wings, Navy acquired HT-2s from HAL on 07 Oct 1956.
Later variant of Firefly were equipped with 20 mm cannon and had provision for carrying
bombs and rockets, thus giving the Naval Aviation fighting teeth.

The First Naval Air Squadron. On 17 Jun 1959 the FRU with 10 Sealand,
10 Firefly and 3 HT-2s was formally commissioned as INAS 550. Later the squadron
also flew a gifted Russian MI-4 helicopter, the Dove, HT-2, HJT-16 Kiran, different
variants of the Islander and in the 1990s got the Dornier 228.

Naval Jet Squadron. The Naval Jet Flight was commissioned as INAS 551 on
01 Sep 1961 at Sulur and shifted to Goa in 1964 post Goa liberation. The squadron was
operating Vampire F-52 and T-55. Later it got some Sea Hawks from the reserves and
finally the HJT-16 Kiran in 1971. The armed version Mk 1A joined in 1978. These
aircraft continue to train pilots for frontline squadrons.


Helicopters in Indian Navy

The first helicopter to be inducted in Indian Navy was Allouette III in 1964. The
Allouette (Chetak) proved to be a versatile helicopter, and was used in the Navy for
Search and Rescue, personnel transfer, equipment transfer, communications and
Medium Altitude Torpedo Carrying Helicopter (MATCH) role. They are affectionately
and appropriately known as Angels.


Admiral A K Chatterji commissioning the first Alouette
Squadron (INAS 321) at Goa on 15 Mar 1969


Arrival of Seakings. On 23 Mar 1971 the two Seakings arrived at Goa and
constituted into a squadron designated as INAS 330. They are affectionately known as
Harpoons. During the Bangladesh liberation the squadron operated anti-submarine
patrols off Mumbai Harbour and proved to be a deterrent to enemy subs from
approaching too close to Mumbai harbour. Subsequently Seaking Mk 42 C was also
inducted in the commando role.


Kamov Helicopters. With the induction of Soviet Kashin class destroyers
in early 1980s the embarked ASW helicopter Ka-25, joined the Indian Fleet. Kamov
helicopter was designed by Nikolas Kamov. The Kamov squadron, INAS 333 was
commissioned on 11 Dec 1980. They are affectionately known as Eagles.
Subsequently KV-28 helicopters, and in due course the advanced AEW Kamov-31
joined the inventory.


Maritime Reconnaissance Squadrons

In Jul 1976, the IAF handed over five Super Constellation aircraft of its No 6
Squadron to the Navy. Along-with this, the responsibility of the maritime reconnaissance
of the Indian coast and its waters as also the SAR role shifted to the Indian Navy. On 18
Nov 1976 INAS 312, consisting of the Super Constellations, was commissioned at Goa.
The Super Constellations were subsequently phased out and long range TU 142-M, the
fastest turbo-propeller aircraft in the world, were obtained from the USSR for maritime
reconnaissance. They are presently based at Naval Air Station, Arakkonam. Today,
they cover a large area of the Indian Ocean as part of their area of operations. INAS
315, with three IL 38s, was commissioned on 01 Oct 1977. They are well known as
Winged Stallions.


Super Constellation The first MR Aircraft



THE WINGS OF GOLD


Selection for joining the aviation cadre is done at the earliest stage of the career
of naval personnel. The process is part voluntary and part selection, in the sense that
after an officer or a sailor volunteers to join the aviation cadre, he has to go through
various screenings prior selection for training in the aviation cadre for the specialisation
volunteered. Naval Aviators are trained both by the Indian Air Force and the Indian
Navy, which leads to their designation as Naval Pilot or Naval Observers.


Pilot Training

Executive officers less than 24 years of age and aspiring to become pilots are
asked to volunteer, twice every year in the months of Jan and Jul every year.
Volunteers must pass the Pilot Aptitude Battery Test (PABT) and undergo Aviation
Medical Examinations at Institute of Aviation Medicine (IAM), Bangalore or the Air Force
Central Medical Establishment (AFCME), New Delhi.

Naval Aviation training for pilots begins at the School for Naval Airmen (SFNA)
located at Naval Base Kochi. Here all prospective pilots undergo training on Airmanship,
Aerodynamics, Aero-engines, Meteorology, Aircraft Instruments and Aviation
Psychology & Medicine etc. Officers are also introduced to the functioning of a Naval Air
Station during the Pre Flying Training (PFT).

Trifurcation for Stream Wise Training.

On completion of the ab-initio training at AFA student pilots are deputed as
follows:-

(a) Those assigned to the fighter stream move on to the US for consolidation
flying.


HJT 16 The basic jet trainer


(b) For MR stream training student pilots are deputed to the Fixed Wing
Training Faculty (FWTF) at Air Force Station Yelahanka, Bangalore. Here the
trainee pilots learn to fly Dornier 228, the twin-engine turbo prop light transport
aircraft. (c) Indian Navy has its own Helicopter Training School (HTS).

(c) Those assigned to the helicopter stream are sent to Helicopter Training
School (HTS) of the Indian Navy which is located at Arakkonam, Tamil Nadu.

Observer Training.

An equally important member of the naval aviation is the Observer. In the fast
moving world of aerial warfare he may find himself alongside the pilot as a navigator
(NAV), tactical coordinator (TACCO), or Sonic Operator (Sonic) on an ASW, ASV, AEW
or Recce aircraft. Executive officers less than 26 years of age volunteering to become
observers are deputed to undergo Aviation Medical Examinations at Institute of Aviation
Medicine (IAM), Bangalore or the Air Force Central Medical Establishment (AFCME),
New Delhi.

The Ab-initio Observer Training.

The Observer training is conducted at the Observer School . Here all prospective
observers undergo a forty five week training. Two courses commencing in April and
November are conducted every year. The ground training covers various aviation
related subjects viz. Airmanship, Air Navigation, Aviation Meterology, Aircraft
Instruments and Aviation Psychology & Medicine etc. The trainees also undergo
attachments to the Signal School, ASW and Gunnery Schools and learn war-fighting
tactics at the Maritime Warfare Centre. On successful completion of the course the
students are awarded wings, and are assigned different aircraft types


Observer School

such as MR (TU 142 M, IL-38 and Dornier 228) and Rotary Wing (Seaking and various
types of Kamov). Advanced training is carried out in the respective squadrons where the
student learns to master the specialised equipment and sensors onboard and learns to
become an effective crewmember of a versatile airborne platform.

Aircrewman (ACM) Training

The enlisted aircrewman is a proven performer and a highly skilled professional
in his naval aviation speciality which could be Flight Signaler (FS), Flight Engineer (FE),
Flight Gunner (FG) or Aircrewman Diver (ACM 'D'). Like the pilot and the observer, he
flies by choice and is an important member of the flight team. On his skill depend the
safe operation of the aircraft, execution of an assigned mission and in the case of ACM
(D) the safety of life at sea.

The aircrewman receives formal orientation and indoctrination at SFNA, Kochi.
This is the first of several training programmes followed by further training in squadrons
that will eventually lead to the designation as aircrewman.

SAILORS IN NAVAL AVIATION


Naval aviation sailors are invaluable assets of the Indian Navy. Aircrews have
direct and frequent contact with these fine men. The Flight Line Supervisor of a Sea
Harrier, responsible for ensuring that the aircraft is ready in all respect for an assigned
mission, or the flight engineer who shares the cockpit of a TU-142 aircraft with pilots are
some of the numerous examples. In addition to aircrew men, there are technicians,
fitters, air-handlers, safety equipment and ordnance personnel who are important and
indispensable links of the chain that is Naval Aviation. Still others are those who are not
technically part of the naval aviation structure, but none the less are involved in
essential support activities.
Enlisted personnel have a very important role to play in Naval Aviation. These
are the men who, maintain, service and man the naval aircraft and make important
contributions to the daily routine of naval flying. Each of these sailors is trained in a
specific field of aviation, at times on a specific aircraft type and continues to hone his
skills through out his career.

In an IL-38 squadron, the efforts of no less than 22 sailors, each with differing
skills are required to keep each aircraft flying. On the carrier no less than 500 aviation
sailors are required to keep all aircraft up in the air. Broadly there are two types of
sailors in aviation, namely Ground Crew and Aircrew Men (ACM).

Ground Crew

Ground Crew comprise of technical and non-technical trades. Technical trades
are Air Engineering (AE), Air Electrical (AL), Air Ordnance (AO) and Air Radio (AR).
Non technical trades comprise of Air Handlers (AH), Safety Equipment (SE), Air Photo
(PH) and Aviation Meteorology (Met).

Training of Ground Crew

Ground crew comprise of Artificer Apprentice and Direct Entry sailors. Artificer
Apprentice comprise only technical sailors while Direct Entry sailors comprise of
technical and non technical sailors. Training of aviation technical sailors is conducted at
the Naval Institute of Aviation Technology (NIAT) and non technical sailors at school for
Naval Airmen (SFNA) both located at Kochi.

Aircrew Men

Aircrew men are those sailors who have volunteered for active flying duties,
passed through stringent medical examinations and have been trained to carry out their
specialist duties in the aircraft. These are Flight Signalers (ACM 'FS'), Flight Engineers
(ACM 'FE'), Flight Gunners (ACM 'FG') who are assigned fixed wing aircraft and Aircrew
Divers (ACM 'D') who are assigned to SAR helicopters.

Training of Air Crew Men

ACM undergo Short Aircraft Maintenance Course (SAMCO) on their respective
aircraft at NIAT, Kochi and subsequently undergo On the Job Training (OJT) in
respective squadrons before qualifying as flight crew.