July 2013 News 15 NAVY GETS FIRST FIGHTER SQUADRON IN 30 YEARS

NAVY GETS FIRST FIGHTER SQUADRON IN 30 YEARS

The Navy has commissioned its first fighter squadron in three decades with the 303 'Black Panthers' squadron getting formal status but will have to wait till the end of this year for the INS Vikramaditya aircraft carrier to arrive from Russia to start  sea-borne operations.
The new Indian Navy Air Squadron (INAS), commissioned  at  a  ceremony, in the second week of May 2013, led by Defence
Minister A. K.Antony, operates the MiG 29 K fighters that were inducted into service in 2010 and have been going through trials and training missions over the past three years before the arrival of the carrier.
The commissioning marks the beginning of an event ful year for the Navy that is set to see many of its major projects reach critical milestones in the coming months. The first will be the activation of the nuclear reactor on board the INS Arihant nuclear missile submarine later this month, following which the vessel will go for sea trials before a formal commissioning by next year.
The naval squadron, which has been nick-named 'Black Panthers', is the first fighter squadron to be commissioned after the Sea Harrier fighters were inducted in December 1983. It comprises 16 aircraft that have till now collectively clocked 2500 hours in training missions and has been termed as the 'sword arm' of the Navy. The INS Hansa airbase in Dabolim where the squadron is
based is also equipped with a shore-based training facility (SBTF) to train pilots on landing and taking off from an aircraft carrier. The SBTF, which comprises a ski jump and an arrested recovery system, is likely to be commissioned in a few months.

The new squadron, which is likely to embark on the INS Vikramaditya after it arrives from Russia after a five-year delay is a major capability jump for the Navy that has till now operated Sea Harrier fighters on board the INS Viraat, which is likely to be decommissioned in the next two years.
The new fighters will give a major edge due to their modern avionics, range and weapons suite that has been compared to the best in the world. The navy has termed the new squadron 'the game changers' to reflect the increase in capability. The squadron has been christened as the 303 after the 303 cartridge that  revolutionised warfare in the mid 19th century with its now legendary design.
With 29 additional fighters on order from Russia as part of a $ 1.2 billion follow on contract, the navy will induct another fighter squadron within the next two years.