Coordinates: 17°43′16″N 083°13′28″E / 17.72111°N 83.22444°E / 17.72111; 83.22444

INS Dega

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

INS Dega
Participants being shown around AN 32 aircraft at INS Dega during Exercise Prakampana.jpg
  • IATA: none
  • ICAO: VOVZ
Summary
Airport typeNaval Air Station
OperatorIndian Navy
LocationVisakhapatnam, India
Elevation AMSL15 ft / 5 m
Coordinates17°43′16″N 083°13′28″E / 17.72111°N 83.22444°E / 17.72111; 83.22444
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
05/23 1,829 6,000 Asphalt
10/28 3,050 10,007 Asphalt
Source: DAFIF

INS Dega (IATA: VVZ, ICAO: VOVZ), is a naval air station of the Indian Navy. It is located in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh on the east coast of India.[1][2]

History[]

The Indian Navy initially started aviation operations in Visakhapatnam in the late 1970s, with the construction of four helipads adjacent to the civil airfield. The civilian Visakhapatnam Airport was transferred to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation in 1981. The air station was then called Naval Air Station, Visakhapatnam. Additional hangars, maintenance facilities and an operations complex were constructed soon after.

On 21 October 1991, the air station was renamed and formally commissioned as INS Dega by then Vice Admiral Laxminarayan Ramdas.[3] It is named for the Telugu language word for a big and powerful bird of the eagle family.

Units[]

Indian naval air squadrons based at INS Dega include:

  • INAS 551, a fighter training squadron BAE Hawk AJT aircraft
  • INAS 311, a reconnaissance squadron operating Dornier 228 aircraft
  • INAS 321, a search and rescue squadron operating HAL Chetak helicopters
  • INAS 333, an anti-submarine warfare squadron operating Kamov Ka-28 helicopters
  • INAS 350, a logistics and transport squadron operating Sikorsky UH-3 Sea King helicopters
  • a UAV squadron, operating DRDO Lakshya pilotless targeting UAVs
  • The BAE Systems Hawk advanced jet trainer was inducted on 6 November 2013 by then Chief of Naval Staff (India), Admiral Devendra Kumar Joshi

As of 2014 preparations have begun to deploy and permanently base a full squadron of Mikoyan MiG-29 fighters to strengthen the security of India's eastern seaboard. In order to decrease the growing flight traffic in the base, a new base has been under consideration by the navy at Badangi, near Vizayanagaram

The plan for the expansion of the airbase envisages a massive increase in size as well as capabilities. In the final scenario, from the present size of 1100 acres, the INS Dega will be spread out to over 1500 acres. A parallel taxi track at the base is also in the offing which will cut down the runway occupancy time.[4]

See also[]

Indian navy
  • List of Indian Navy bases
  • List of active Indian Navy ships
Integrated commands and units
Other lists
  • Strategic Forces Command
  • List of Indian Air Force stations
  • List of Indian Navy bases
  • India's overseas military bases

References[]

  1. ^ "Naval Air Stations". Indian Navy. Archived from the original on 10 August 2011. Retrieved 18 August 2011.
  2. ^ "Vishakhapatnam". World Aero Data. Retrieved 18 August 2011.
  3. ^ "INS Dega". Indian Navy. Archived from the original on 7 April 2014. Retrieved 5 July 2013.
  4. ^ "EXCLUSIVE: Navy initiates 'Look East' for lethal MiG29K".
Retrieved from ""