Indian Navy commissions the first ALH Squadron INAS 324

In the presence of Vice Admiral Biswajit Dasgupta, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command, Indian Naval Air Squadron 324 (INAS 324) was commissioned into the Indian Navy at INS Dega in Visakhapatnam. The squadron is the first naval squadron on the eastern seaboard to use helicopters that were designed and constructed domestically, the Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) MK III (MR).

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The INAS 324 squadron is known as “Kestrels,” after a bird species with good sensory qualities. This name represents the role that the aircraft and the air squadron are intended to play.
The Maritime Reconnaissance (MR) and Search and Rescue (SAR) roles of the squadron are represented by a “Kestrel” searching over wide blue oceans and white sea waves in the symbol of the squadron.
Modern surveillance radar and electro-optical sensors are among the state-of-the-art equipment that ALH MK III helicopters are equipped with.
Since these helicopters were created and produced by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, their introduction is a component of Atma Nirbhar Bharat’s plan (HAL).
These helicopters can be used for special operations with the Marine Commandos (Marcos) as well as Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations in addition to their primary MR and SAR roles.
Vice Admiral Biswajit Dasgupta, who spoke to the group, said that the Eastern Naval Command’s commissioning of the first ALH MK III Squadron will improve the observation capacity along the Eastern Seaboard.
Cdr S.S. Dash, an accomplished ALH trained flight instructor with significant operational experience, is in charge of INAS 324.