Indian Coast Guard – Aviation

[By Rear Admiral (Retd) Sushil Ramsay] he Indian Coast Guard is the principal agency for enforcement of provisions of all national enactment in force in the Maritime Zones of India (MZI) and provides following services to the nation and marine community. - ficial islands, offshore installations and other structures in India’s maritime zones. assistance to them at sea while in distress. environment including prevention and control of maritime pollution. - toms and other authorities in antismuggling operations. and property at sea. Indian Coast Guard (ICG) was felt right from the time of its inception. The first ICG aviation unit to be commissioned was 800 SQN on May 22, 1982, with two Chetak helicopters at Goa.

The first fixed wing squadron of Indian Coast Guard was commissioned with two Fokker Friendship (F-27) aircraft on July 30, 1983. These aircraft were taken on dry lease yeomen service to ICG through their tireless - time surveillance and search and rescue roles covering the entire exclusive economic

The first planned induction included 12 fixed wing aircraft for coastal surveillance and six single engine helicopters to support commissioned as 750 Squadron (ICG) at

1987. Since then the following air squadrons/flights have been inducted into the service and are located as shown in the box.

The primary role of these squadrons include search and rescue and embarkation on board helicopter operating ships to undertake the following missions: (a) Logistics and operational cover for the

Indian Coast Guard ships at sea. (c) Casualty evacuation.

T(e) Reconnaissance and shadow. (f ) Security patrol of offshore installations/ oil rigs.

Modernisation of ICG - Aviation

The present force levels of ICG comprise 44 ships, six hovercraft, 24 interceptor boats, 28 - copters and 20 Chetak single-engine heli 2007-08, ICG had projected a requirement of 154 ships and 93 boats.

May 1982 and nearly two decades later, in its aviation assets to be enhanced to 99 air revamp of the country’s coastal surveillance and security apparatus, the Coast Guard including 173 small patrol craft, 113 aircraft, radars by 2017. The aviation component of - surveillance, an increase from the 24 aircraft currently in service, and 11 medium range, maritme reconnaissance aircraft. The plan also encompasses commensurate increase in the manpower strength to man the augmented aviation assets of ICG.

- surface platforms and 42 aircraft which is being processed with stringent timelines. development plan for 2007-12 was recast on a 15-year perspective spanning from 2007-22.

The approved modernisation plans for prominent among them being six MRMR (medium range, maritime reconnaissance) aircraft. The ICG version of MRMR, aircraft the Russian Irkut’s Beriev Be-200 and the to qualify the stringent field evaluation tests. Considering the strategic importance of - -

For upgrading surveillance capabilities