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P8I aircraft to give Indian navy maritime patrol edge
In the coming ten years, 400 new aircraft would be inducted into the Indian navy fleet, including the advanced Boeing P8I maritime patrol aircraft
manufactured by the US aerospace major, according to Rear Admiral Sudhir Pillai. Pillai was speaking on Saturday at a passing out parade that marked the graduation ceremony of the 72nd Helicopter Conversion Course at the naval air station Rajali.
Pillai pointed out that India would be the first country to acquire the Boeing P8I maritime patrol aircraft in a $2.2 billion deal. Not only would the aircraft provide the navy an edge in the Indian Ocean region, it would also for the first time enable the Indian navy to operate a platform almost simultaneously with the US navy.
Pillai stressed the need for greater cooperation between the coast guard and the navy and commended their efforts in patrolling the high seas.
Referring to future challenges in store for the graduates listening to him, he assured them that a new fillip would be given to quality training.
Three Indian Navy and four coast guard pilots were awarded wings' by Pillai. The pilots were rigorously trained for 24 weeks in flying and aviation subjects at the Helicopter Training School, which has trained nearly 500 pilots for the Indian navy and coast guard. Pillai presented the Governor of Kerala trophy for the best all-round trainee pilot to A K Agarwal; the flag officer commanding-in-chief, Eastern Naval Command rolling trophy for the trainee pilot standing first in order of merit in flying to Kunal C Naik; and the book prize for standing first in ground subjects to Sunil Dutt.
The new pilots will join operations in Mumbai and Vishakhapatnam while the coast guard pilots will be based at the navy's premier air station in Daman.
Later, interacting with media, Pillai said the Officers Training Academy would be shifted from Goa to Ezhumalai in Kerala.
In the coming ten years, 400 new aircraft would be inducted into the Indian navy fleet, including the advanced Boeing P8I maritime patrol aircraft
manufactured by the US aerospace major, according to Rear Admiral Sudhir Pillai. Pillai was speaking on Saturday at a passing out parade that marked the graduation ceremony of the 72nd Helicopter Conversion Course at the naval air station Rajali.
Pillai pointed out that India would be the first country to acquire the Boeing P8I maritime patrol aircraft in a $2.2 billion deal. Not only would the aircraft provide the navy an edge in the Indian Ocean region, it would also for the first time enable the Indian navy to operate a platform almost simultaneously with the US navy.
Pillai stressed the need for greater cooperation between the coast guard and the navy and commended their efforts in patrolling the high seas.
Referring to future challenges in store for the graduates listening to him, he assured them that a new fillip would be given to quality training.
Three Indian Navy and four coast guard pilots were awarded wings' by Pillai. The pilots were rigorously trained for 24 weeks in flying and aviation subjects at the Helicopter Training School, which has trained nearly 500 pilots for the Indian navy and coast guard. Pillai presented the Governor of Kerala trophy for the best all-round trainee pilot to A K Agarwal; the flag officer commanding-in-chief, Eastern Naval Command rolling trophy for the trainee pilot standing first in order of merit in flying to Kunal C Naik; and the book prize for standing first in ground subjects to Sunil Dutt.
The new pilots will join operations in Mumbai and Vishakhapatnam while the coast guard pilots will be based at the navy's premier air station in Daman.
Later, interacting with media, Pillai said the Officers Training Academy would be shifted from Goa to Ezhumalai in Kerala.
