INS RAJALI COMPLETES 30 YEARS OF ITS SERVICE TO THE NATION

INS RAJALI COMPLETES 30 YEARS OF ITS SERVICE TO THE NATION

Arakkonam 13 March 2022

INS RAJALI COMPLETES 30 YEARS OF ITS SERVICE TO THE NATION

On the occasion of the 30th Anniversary of INS Rajali, a two-day seminar on the theme ‘Sustenance of Maritime Reconnaissance Aircraft fleet Through Self Reliance’ was held at Arakkonam between 11-12 Mar 2022. A specia l postal cover was released commemorating and recognising INS Rajali’s stellar milestone of ‘Three Decades of Excellence in Maritime Reconnaissance’ by Vice Adm Puneet Kumar Bahl Commandant-Indian Naval Academy, in the presence of Vice Adm Dilip Deshpande (Retd), Rear Adm Deepak Bansal, VSM, Asst Chief of Naval Staff (Air Materiel). Post Master General, India Post, Chennai and other distinguished guests.

The seminar enabled cross-pollination of ideas on strategic public-private partnership for achieving self-reliance under the ‘Atmanirbhar’ initiative of the Government of India and provided the ideas and avenues for setting up of Maintenance Repair Overhaul facilities for Maritime Reconnaissance Aircraft. 15 papers were presented dur ing the seminar which also included the participation of reputed foreign OEMs, DPSUs and MROs viz., M/s Boein g, M/s General Atomics, M/s HAL, M/s AIESL and M/s Airworks. Addressing the participants of the seminar, the Chief Guest emphasised the need for foreign OEMs to tap indigenous industry and naval resources to develop a joint work model for the sustenance of the aircraft fleet to optimise the maintenance requirements under the aegis of ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’.

INS Rajali, the premier air station and Base Support Facility, Arakkonam celebrated their 30th anniversary on 11 and 12 Mar 22 respectively. INS Rajaii was commissioned on 11 Mar 92 and has been the abode for the Long Ran ge Maritime Reconnaissance Aircraft Squadron (INAS 312) and Helicopter Training School (INAS 561). The air sta tion has the unique distinction of operating the state-of-the-art Boeing P8l, Sea Guardian High Altitude Long Range (HALE) Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) along with legacy vintage Chetak Helicopters.

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PS/CS/03/22