Bengaluru: Union minister of state for defence Shripad Naik commissioned Indian Naval Air Squadron (INAS) 323, the first unit of the indigenously built ALH Mk III aircraft.
Swarajya adds that it will operate three state-of-the-art ALH Mk III, a multirole helicopter with Shakti engine manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).
It has an all-glass cockpit and will be used for search and rescue, special operations and coastal surveillance, adds the website.
In a statement, defence ministry statement said that as many as 16 aircraft are under procurement and they are being delivered in a phased manner to the Indian Navy.
“The radar will give us surveillance capability. The medical ICU was not there before. We used to evacuate patients from ships, for instance, and now there is an ICU capability within the aircraft. A 0.7 mm gun which will again give a huge capability from a LIMO (low intensity maritime operations) standpoint, there’s a megaphone, there are various things. The automatic flight control system is hugely superior to the previous one. There are various factors that will enhance all aspects of operations,” the website quoted Rear Admiral Philipose G Pynumootil, Flag Officer Commanding Goa Area, as saying.