India commissions 6th Dornier Do-228 maritime patrol squadron

 A Dornier Do-228 naval aircraft of the Indian Navy. Photo c/o India TV News.

The Indian Navy (IN) has commissioned its sixth Dornier Do-228 maritime patrol aircraft squadron, which will be based at the IN’s Naval Air Enclave Porbadar in Gujarat in Western India, to help secure India’s maritime borders near its rival Pakistan.

The Indian Naval Air Squadron 314 “Raptors” will operate four (4) newly-inducted Dornier Do-228NG “New Generation”  maritime patrol aircraft, in which 12 units were ordered recently from RUAG Aviation and Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd.

Indian Navy’s Deputy Chief of Naval Staff Vice Adm. MS Pawar, who led the squadron’s commissioning, said that the new unit will enhance India’s maritime “surveillance footprint in the North Arabian Sea”, and “will act as the first responder in this crucial region” due to the unit’s strategic basing location.

Prior to the order of 12 new Dorinier aircraft, the IN already operates around 25 older units in 5 naval air squadrons.


[1] Jane’s Defence Weekly
[2] NDTV