Indian Naval Air Squadron (INAS) 550
In 1951, the Fleet Requirement Unit (FRU) was formed to meet the Fleet's requirement of aircraft targets for gunnery and radar tracking practices, for radar and communication calibrations and for aircrew training. The airfield at Cochin was taken over from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation on 1 January 1953. From that date, the Navy assumed responsibility of the operation from Cochin airfield of all aircraft, civilian and naval. Ten amphibian Sealand aircraft were acquired in 1953 and were based in Cochin.
The FRU was commissioned on 11 March 1953 and the Navy's first Naval Air Station, INS GARUDA, commissioned on 11 May 1953. Since the Sealands were not suitable for anti aircraft firing practices, between February 1955 and December 1958, ten target towing British naval Firefly aircraft were inducted. They were fitted with target - towing winches to tow drogue/sleeve targets. The last five of these Firefly aircraft were equipped with 20 mm cannon and were capable of carrying rockets and bombs. They marked the advent of weapon capability in the Air Arm.
From 1952 onwards, basic flying training had been imparted by the Air Force. To facilitate continuation flying training at Cochin, three Hindustan Trainer 2 (HT 2) aircraft, made by Hindustan Aircraft Ltd (HAL), joined the FRU in October 1956.
On 17 January 1959, the FRU became the first unit to be commissioned as Indian Naval Air Squadron (INAS) 550. It had ten amphibian Sealands, ten target towing Fireflies and three HT 2 trainer aircraft.
The proposal to acquire Islanders for Pilot and Observer Training and Fleet requirements had been initiated in 1972. The first two Islanders arrived in Cochin on 18 May 76. The remaining three arrived by end 1976.
In 1981, two Islanders of INAS 550 were based at Port Blair. In 1984, these were commissioned as INAS 318 and the naval air station at Port Blair was commissioned as INS UTKROSH.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
| Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list |
|
|
|
