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INS Kohassa / NAS Shibpur

Naval Air Station (NAS) Shibpur has been commissioned as INS Kohassa. It is a step forward in enhancing the operational capability of Andaman and Nicobar Command. NAS Shibpur was commissioned as INS Kohassa by Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Sunil Lanba. INS Kohassa will be India’s fourth air base and the third naval air facility in the Andaman and Nicobar region that overlooks key sea lanes of communication and strategic points with more than 60,000 commercial vessels passing through each year.

The other two Naval Air Bases in the Andaman and Nicobar region are INS Utkrosh at Port Blair and INS Baaz at Campbell Bay. INS Kohassa is named after White-Bellied Sea Eagle, which is a large bird of prey endemic to Andaman and Nicobar Islands. INS Kohassa will also function as a base for joint operation of both military and civil aircraft in keeping with the UDAN scheme of the government. The airbase will be able to handle Helicopter and Dornier Aircraft at present and after expansion the facility would enable the operation of bigger civil and defence aircraft.

Apart from being the third naval air base, it is also the fourth air base overall in the Andamans, which is a critical region as it overlooks important sea lanes required for communication and trade; dominating the Bay of Bengal, the islands witness the passing of more than 60,000 commercial vessels from their Six Degree and Ten Degree channels each year.

The new air base is a huge fillip to the Andaman and Nicobar Command’s ability to act independently from all parts of the islands. INS Kohassa has been commissioned by Navy chief Admiral Sunil Lanba. NAS Shibpur had been operating as a Forward Operating Air Base (FOAB) for surveillance purposes since 2010, but will now be overhauled with self-contained fuel storage, repair facilities and permanent manpower under a commanding officer among others. The runway will also be expanded to 3,000 metres and the base will now act as a facility for the joint-use of military as well as civilian aircraft.

Naval Air Station (NAS) Shibpur was commissioned as INS Kohassa by Admiral Sunil Lanba, PVSM, AVSM, ADC, Chairman COSC and Chief of the Naval Staff, on 24 January 2019. The grand ceremony was attended by many dignitaries and senior officials including Vice Admiral Bimal Verma, AVSM, ADC Commander-in-Chief, Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC), The ceremony included presentation of Ceremonial Guard, hoisting of the Commissioning Pennant and reading of the Ship’s Warrant by the Commanding Officer, Commander Kuldeep Tripathi. INS Kohassa has been named after a White-Bellied Sea Eagle, which is a large bird of prey, endemic to Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

NAS Shibpur was established in 2001 as a Forward Operating Air Base for enhanced surveillance in North Andaman. NAS Shibpur was set up as a Forward Operating Air Base (FOAB) for surveillance in North Andamans. Located in the northern most part of the Andaman & Nicobar (A&N) Islands, the airfield holds strategic importance not only for the security of the Islands but also for its overall development. INS Kohassa has been named after a White-Bellied Sea Eagle, which is a large bird of prey, endemic to A&N Islands. INS Kohassa will become the third Naval Air Station in the A&N Islands after INS Utkrosh at Port Blair and INS Baaz at Campbell Bay.

The close proximity of Coco Islands (Myanmar) and wide expanse of Indian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) makes the base a very vital asset. The airfield provides sustained detached operations of Indian Navy, Indian Air Force and Coast Guard aircraft. The Air Station presently operates Short Range Maritime Reconnaissance aircraft and helicopters. These aircraft undertake EEZ Surveillance, Anti-Poaching Missions, Search and Rescue and Humanitarian Aid and Disaster Relief missions within the ANC Area of Responsibility. As a point of interest, during the search operations of the Malaysian Airlines Flight 370, Dornier DO 228s of the Navy and Coast Guard operated from this very base.

NAS Shibpur was identified by NITI Aayog as one of the ‘Early Bird’ project as part of holistic island development. Towards this, the Indian Navy has been ready in all respects to facilitate civil flight operations from NAS Shibpur. The runway extension to 10,000 ft is also planned in the near future to facilitate operations of wide-bodied aircraft.