INS Garuda Kochi
Encyclopedia
INS Garuda , is an Indian
naval air station
located near Kochi
, India
. Commissioned on 11 May 1953, this is the oldest operating air station of the Indian Navy
.
The air station is adjacent to the Headquarters of Southern Command of Indian Navy. INS Garuda is a major naval air training center as well as an operational base.
to transport senior officials of the British Harbour Corps from the Madras Presidency for supervising the development of modern Kochi port in 1936. During World War II
, the rudimentary air strip was taken over by the Royal Air Force
(RAF) in 1941 and expanded to establish a RAF experimental station. The Indian Air Force Volunteer Reserve (IAFVR) No. 5 Coastal Defence Flight, flying Westland Wapiti
II aircraft was based at the station in May 1941. In December 1942, IAFVR No. 5 was disbanded, and resources transferred to HMS Garuda in Peelamedu, Tamil Nadu. In 1943, the Kochi facilities were transferred to the Royal Navy (RN) which established an aircraft repair yard at the location to assemble aircraft shipped to India for the war effort. HMS Garuda was decommissioned in September 1946 at the end of the war, and the Kochi infrastructure was transferred to the DGCA.
The Indian Navy acquired the first Short Sealand aircraft on 13 January, 1953. The aviation facilities at Kochi were transferred to the Indian Navy and temporarily placed under the command of naval base, INS Venduruthy, on 1 January 1953 to prepare for operating the aircraft. The first Sealand aircraft arrived in Kochi from the UK on 4 February 1953.
The facilities were commissioned as a fully operational naval air station under the command of the Indian Naval Air Arm on 11 May, 1953 and re-named INS Garuda. Commodore G. Douglas, was its first Commanding Officer.
Since then, INS Garuda has remained a strategic operating station for the navy, with several training schools, intelligence centers, maintenance and repair facilities and experimental stations based here. A separate civilian enclave for domestic travellers was allowed to operate at INS Garuda, which remained operational until July 1999, when the Cochin International Airport
was commissioned.
Indian Naval Air Squadrons based at INS Garuda as of 2011 include:
INS Garuda also has a number of naval aviation training schools:
INS Garuda also has facilities for imparting training in air-borne anti-submarine operations as part of the Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) School. The school's facilities include a Thales Underwater Systems LOFAR (Low Frequency Analysis & Recording) training simulator.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
naval air station
Naval Air Station
A Naval Air Station is a military airbase, and consists of a permanent land-based operations locations for the military aviation division of the relevant branch of their Navy...
located near Kochi
Kochi
-Places:* Kochi, a city in the state of Kerala, India, formerly known as Cochin* Kingdom of Cochin, a former feudal city-state on Malabar Coast, India** Fort Kochi, one of the three main urban components which constitute the present day city of Kochi, Kerala, India...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. Commissioned on 11 May 1953, this is the oldest operating air station of the Indian Navy
Indian Navy
The Indian Navy is the naval branch of the armed forces of India. The President of India serves as the Commander-in-Chief of the Navy. The Chief of Naval Staff , usually a four-star officer in the rank of Admiral, commands the Navy...
.
The air station is adjacent to the Headquarters of Southern Command of Indian Navy. INS Garuda is a major naval air training center as well as an operational base.
History
The original airstrip near Kochi was built by the Cochin Port TrustCochin Port Trust
The Port of Kochi is a major port on the Arabian sea - Indian Ocean sea-route and is one of the largest ports in India. The port lies on two islands in the Lake of Kochi namely the Willingdon Island and Vallarpadam, towards the Fort Kochi river-mouth opening onto the Arabian sea...
to transport senior officials of the British Harbour Corps from the Madras Presidency for supervising the development of modern Kochi port in 1936. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the rudimentary air strip was taken over by the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
(RAF) in 1941 and expanded to establish a RAF experimental station. The Indian Air Force Volunteer Reserve (IAFVR) No. 5 Coastal Defence Flight, flying Westland Wapiti
Westland Wapiti
The Westland Wapiti was a British two-seat general purpose military single-engined biplane of the 1920s. It was designed and built by Westland Aircraft Works to replace the Airco DH.9A in Royal Air Force service....
II aircraft was based at the station in May 1941. In December 1942, IAFVR No. 5 was disbanded, and resources transferred to HMS Garuda in Peelamedu, Tamil Nadu. In 1943, the Kochi facilities were transferred to the Royal Navy (RN) which established an aircraft repair yard at the location to assemble aircraft shipped to India for the war effort. HMS Garuda was decommissioned in September 1946 at the end of the war, and the Kochi infrastructure was transferred to the DGCA.
The Indian Navy acquired the first Short Sealand aircraft on 13 January, 1953. The aviation facilities at Kochi were transferred to the Indian Navy and temporarily placed under the command of naval base, INS Venduruthy, on 1 January 1953 to prepare for operating the aircraft. The first Sealand aircraft arrived in Kochi from the UK on 4 February 1953.
The facilities were commissioned as a fully operational naval air station under the command of the Indian Naval Air Arm on 11 May, 1953 and re-named INS Garuda. Commodore G. Douglas, was its first Commanding Officer.
Since then, INS Garuda has remained a strategic operating station for the navy, with several training schools, intelligence centers, maintenance and repair facilities and experimental stations based here. A separate civilian enclave for domestic travellers was allowed to operate at INS Garuda, which remained operational until July 1999, when the Cochin International Airport
Cochin International Airport
Cochin International Airport is an international airport located in Nedumbassery, a suburb on the outskirts of the city of Kochi about northeast of downtown Kochi, in the state of Kerala, India. It is the busiest and largest airport in the state of Kerala...
was commissioned.
Units
INS Garuda has 2 intersecting runways, allowing almost all operational aircraft to land and take off.Indian Naval Air Squadrons based at INS Garuda as of 2011 include:
- INAS 550, a reconnaissanceReconnaissanceReconnaissance is the military term for exploring beyond the area occupied by friendly forces to gain information about enemy forces or features of the environment....
squadron operating Dornier Do 228Dornier Do 228The Dornier 228 is a twin-turboprop STOL utility aircraft, manufactured by Dornier GmbH from 1981 until 1998. In 1983, Hindustan Aeronautics bought a production licence and manufactures the 228 for the Asian market sphere. Approximately 270 Do 228 were built at Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany and...
aircraft - INAS 336, an anti-submarine warfareAnti-submarine warfareAnti-submarine warfare is a branch of naval warfare that uses surface warships, aircraft, or other submarines to find, track and deter, damage or destroy enemy submarines....
and advanced training squadron, operating Westland Sea KingWestland Sea KingThe Westland WS-61 Sea King is a British licence-built version of the American Sikorsky S-61 helicopter of the same name, built by Westland Helicopters. The aircraft differs considerably from the American version, with Rolls-Royce Gnome engines , British made anti-submarine warfare systems and a...
Mk.42B helicopters - INAS 321, a search and rescueSearch and rescueSearch and rescue is the search for and provision of aid to people who are in distress or imminent danger.The general field of search and rescue includes many specialty sub-fields, mostly based upon terrain considerations...
and logistics squadron, operating HAL Chetak helicopters - INAS 342, operating IAI HeronIAI HeronThe IAI Heron is a Medium-altitude long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicle developed by the Malat division of Israel Aerospace Industries. It is capable of Medium Altitude Long Endurance operations of up to 52 hours' duration at up to 35,000 feet...
and IAI SearcherIAI Searcher|-See also:-References:This article contains material that originally came from the web article by Greg Goebel, which exists in the Public Domain....
Mk. II UAVs
INS Garuda also has a number of naval aviation training schools:
- Observer School trains pilots and technical personnel in maritime reconnaissance, patrol, evacuation and search and rescue (SAR) missions
- School for Naval Airmen (SFNA) and the Naval Institute of Aviation Technology (NIAT) impart theoretical training to naval aviation personnel and those associated with flying operations
- Aeronautical Training Institute (ATI) conducts training for officers and sailors in aircraft maintenance
- School for Naval Oceanography and Meteorology (SNOM)
INS Garuda also has facilities for imparting training in air-borne anti-submarine operations as part of the Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) School. The school's facilities include a Thales Underwater Systems LOFAR (Low Frequency Analysis & Recording) training simulator.