KOCHI
The Coast Guard on Wednesday commissioned its second air squadron, 845 Squadron (CG), of Advanced Light Helicopter Mk-III at an event held at the Coast Guard air enclave, Nedumbassery.
The commissioning was done by Coast Guard Director General V.S. Pathania. The first ALH Mk-III squadron of the Coast Guard is in Bhubaneswar.
Mr. Pathania said that the commissioning of the squadron would give a fillip to the agency in carrying out search and rescue and long-range maritime reconnaissance and surveillance.
The indigenously developed ALH Mk-III helicopters feature an array of state-of-the-art sensors which add up to maritime prowess of Coast Guard. The multifaceted helicopters sport advanced communication systems, automatic identification system, search-and-rescue homer and automatic flight control system and are fitted with modern surveillance radar/electro-optical equipment which enables them to undertake the role of long-range maritime reconnaissance in addition to providing long range search and rescue, both by day and night.
Its heavy machine gun helps it carry out the force’s constabulary role at sea, said a press release.
The 845 Sqn (CG) is commanded by Commandant Kunal Naik.
TLMC conference
Separately, the Coast Guard Headquarters-4 (Kerala and Mahe) at Fort Kochi organised the annual Technical and Logistics Management Committee Conference which will go on till Friday. Coast Guard Commander (Western Seaboard) and senior officials are attending the conference. Director General V.S. Pathania inaugurated the conference and acknowledged the collective efforts in maintaining the fleet of 256 ships and aircraft of the force.
He stressed the need for extensive deliberation on the challenges posed to the maintainers for faster turnaround of the ships under maintenance/refit and creation of repair infrastructure towards self-reliance in the field of maintenance.
