Indian Navy’s Sea Harrier fighter aircraft, extensively used from aircraft carriers INS Vikrant and INS Viraat, on Wednesday bid adieu at a ceremony in Goa. Britain’s Sea Harriers have made for induction of Russia’s Mig-29k fighters by Indian Naval Air Squadron 300 (INAS 300).
The ceremony was presided over by Indian Navy chief Admiral RK Dhowan, at INS Hansa in Goa. Admiral RK Dhowan lauded the stellar role played by the squadron in the defence of the country and acknowledged the professionalism of the pilots, the maintainers and all those personnel associated with flying and maintaining the aircraft in peak efficiency during their service. He said that the rich legacy would continue as the baton is being passed on to the proud young crew of the MiG 29K squadron who have been successful in seamlessly integrating the fighters with INS Vikramaditya in the shortest possible time.
Vice Admiral Sunil Lanba, Flag Officer Commanding in Chief Western Naval Command, serving and retired Officers and Men of the Indian Navy and all personnel who have served in the INAS 300 were also present.
The ceremony also included an air display by Sea Harriers and MiG 29Ks which marked the last flight of the Sea Harriers in the Indian Navy.
Commenting on the de-induction, Alistair Castle, Vice President & General Manager India at BAE Systems, the company that built the aircraft, said, “We are very proud of our support to the Indian Navy in keeping the iconic Sea Harriers airworthy over the last 33 years. Three decades ago, when the Sea Harriers were inducted, these aircraft with modern weaponry, avionics and an engine which could land the aircraft vertically, defying all the laws of aerodynamics, introduced V/STOL for the Indian Navy.” “On this symbolic day, we re-dedicate ourselves to our partnership with the Indian Navy through our continued support on the Hawk advanced jet trainer,” Castle said.
Inducted in the year 1983 the Sea Harriers have dominated the sky at sea, helping Indian Navy protect the fleet from prying eyes of foreign long range maritime patrol aircraft.
The first three Sea Harriers, landed at Dabolim on December 16, 1983. This was followed by the first deck landing on the carrier, INS Vikrant, on December 20, 1983.
Sea Harrier is a naval short/vertical take-off and landing jet fighter, reconnaissance and strike aircraft. It first entered service with the Royal Navy in April 1980. “Its ability of vertical takeoff and landing is the most unique feature of this fighter,” says the Indian Navy.
It features a single Rolls-Royce Pegasus turbofan engine with two intakes and four vectorable nozzles producing 21500 pounds of thrust propelling the fighter at approximately 635 Knots. The fighters have been capable of air to air refueling to operate at extended ranges. The Sea Harrier operated from both INS Vikrant and INS Viraat, where the use of the ski jump allowed the aircraft to take off from a short flight deck with a heavier load than otherwise possible, although it can also take off like a conventional loaded fighter without thrust vectoring from a normal airport runway.
The principal role of the subsonic Sea Harrier was to provide air defence to naval fleet by operating from their aircraft carriers. The Sea Harrier is equipped with four wing and one fuselage pylons for carrying weapons and external fuel tanks in addition to two removable 30 mm Aden Gunpods on the fuselage. The Sea Harriers were also equipped with the Matra Magic II and Derby Air to Air Beyond Visual Range (BVR) Missiles which makes the Sea Harrier a potent air defence fighter for the fleet at sea. The Sea Harrier was fitted with anti-ship Sea Eagle missile providing the best stand-off range anti ship capability to the fleet. In addition, the fighters were also capable of firing rockets and dropping bombs in shore bombardment role or in action against lightly armed ship.