INAS 322

INAS 322
Active	12 November 2013 - present^[1]
Country	India
Branch	Indian Navy
Garrison/HQ	INS Garuda, Kochi^[2]
Nickname(s)	The Guardians
Aircraft flown
Multirole helicopter	HAL Dhruv^[3]

Military unit

The INAS 322 is an Indian naval air squadron based at INS Garuda, Kochi.^[4]

History

The Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH), also known as 'Dhruv', is the first indigenously designed and manufactured helicopter by HAL Bangalore. ALH was inducted into the Indian Navy on 28 March 2002. The Intensive Flying and Trials Unit (IFTU), formed at INS Garuda on 10 February 2003, undertook three years of intensive flying trials and evaluations. Post completion, the aircraft was cleared for operational exploitation and ALH Flights were established at Kochi and Goa on 1 September 2005. With the amalgamation of the two units in December 2009, ALH Flight Kochi remains the sole ALH operating unit in the Navy. The first ALH squadron was commissioned on 12 November 2013 at INS Garuda, Kochi. The ALH is being employed for a variety of missions including Advanced Search and Rescue, Special Heli-Borne Operations, Armed Patrol, Sniper Ops, VVIP Carriage and Night SAR. Cdr Ravi Sivasankar is the first Commanding Officer of the squadron.^[5]

Operations

On 27 April 2016, the Indian Navy stationed an ALH MK III at Maldives, to be based at Kadhdhoo Island in Laamu Atol. The helicopter will assist the Maldives National Defence Force in undertaking search and rescue, casualty evacuation, coastal surveillance, maritime reconnaissance, communication and logistic duties. The Indian Naval Contingent is headed by Cdr Rohit Gupte and comprises 4 officers and 21 sailors. The technical support team comprises 13 technicians and is headed by Lt Cdr Jithu K Joy. The support team with the spares and support equipment reached Male on 25 April 2016.^[6]^[7]^[8]

References

^ "Navy Commissions First Advanced Light Helicopter Squadron". Press Information Bureau. 12 November 2013. Retrieved 28 December 2014.
^ "ALH squadron adds to Navy's fire power". The New Indian Express. 13 November 2013. Archived from the original on 16 November 2013. Retrieved 28 December 2014.
^ "Indian Naval Air Squadrons". Indian Navy. Archived from the original on 26 December 2014. Retrieved 28 December 2014.
^ "INAS 322". Indian Navy. Archived from the original on 29 December 2014. Retrieved 28 December 2014.
^ "ALH(DHRUV) | Indian Navy". indiannavy.nic.in. Retrieved 6 May 2016.
^ "Indian Navy deploys Advanced Light Helicopter in Maldives | NetIndian". netindian.in. 27 April 2016. Retrieved 28 April 2016.
^ Correspondent, Our Defence. "Navy deploys ALH at Kadhdhoo Island in Maldives". Mathrubhumi. Retrieved 28 April 2016.
^ "India deploys copter for maritime surveillance in Maldives". Press Trust of India. Retrieved 28 April 2016.

Indian Navy

Leadership

Minister of Defence
Chief of the Naval Staff
Vice Chief of the Naval Staff
FOCs-in-C (Naval Commanders)
DCNS
COP
COM
FOCWF
FOCEF
FOMA
FOGNA
FOK
FOTNA
FODAG
FOSM
FOST
ACNS
Serving admirals
Navy MCPO

Components
and
Commands

Naval Commands

Operational	Western Naval Command Eastern Naval Command Southern Naval Command
Joint	Andaman and Nicobar Command Strategic Forces Command Defence Cyber Agency Defence Space Agency Armed Forces Special Operations Division

Fleets

Western Fleet
Eastern Fleet

Bases

New Delhi	INS India
Western Naval Command	INS Dwarka INS Sardar Patel INS Kadamba INS Vajrakosh INHS Patanjali INS Gomantak INS Hansa INHS Jeevanti INS Angre INS Abhimanyu INS Agnibahu INHS Asvini INS Kunjali INS Shikra INS Tanaji INS Trata INS Tunir INS Vajrabahu
Southern Naval Command	INS Dweeprakshak INS Minicoy INS Androth INS Bitra INS Garuda INHS Sanjivani INS Venduruthy INS Dronacharya INS Chilka INHS Nivrani INS Mandovi INS Hamla INS Shivaji INHS Kasturi INS Valsura INS Agrani INS Zamorin INS Satavahana INS Vishwakarma INS Jatayu
Eastern Naval Command	INS Circars INS Dega INS Virbahu INHS Kalyani INS Kalinga INS Eksila INS Karna INS Adyar INS Rajali INS Parundu INS Kattabomman INS Tuticorin INS Netaji Subhash INS Paradip INS Bhubaneswar INS Varsha
Andaman and Nicobar Command	INS Kardip INS Jarawa INS Utkrosh INS Baaz INHS Dhanvantari INS Campbell Bay INS Kohassa

Equipment

Aircraft Squadrons

Fighter	300 303
Airborne Early Warning (AEW)	339
Anti-submarine (ASW)	330 333 336
Reconnaissance	342 343 344
Maritime patrol	312 315 318 550 313
Electronic Warfare	310 311
Multirole helicopter	322 323 334 350
Search & Rescue	321
Training	551 552 561

Military Academies

Education & Training	Sainik School Armed Forces Medical College Ajmer Military School Bangalore Military School Belgaum Military School Chail Military School Dholpur Military School Rashtriya Indian Military College
Schools & Colleges	Indian Naval Academy Naval War College
Tri-Service Institutions	Defence Services Staff College National Defence Academy National Defence College College of Defence Management Military Institute of Technology