INAS 551

INAS 551
Active	5 September 1961 - present[1]
Country	India
Branch	Indian Navy
Garrison/HQ	INS Dega, Visakhapatnam[2]
Nickname(s)	The Phantoms
Aircraft flown
Trainer	HAL HJT-16 Kiran[3]

The INAS 551 is an Indian naval air squadron based at INS Dega, Visakhapatnam.^[1]

History

In its early form the squadron existed as the Naval Jet Flight (NJF) at Sulur, which was set up in September 1957 and was equipped with four Vampire aircraft. The first Flight Commander was Lt Cdr BD Law. In June 1959 the Naval Jet Flight was reconstituted as INAS 550 A. The third Flt Cdr of the NJF, Lt Raj Anderson became the first Squadron Commander of INAS 550 A, redesignated and commissioned as INAS 551 on 5 September 1961. A year later Sea Hawks from INAS 300 were also inducted into the squadron. The role of the squadron was to train pilots towards tactical flying and air combat on the Vampire. Before the pilots left for INAS 300, they were converted on Sea Hawks. The squadron was, thus, a feeder squadron for fighter pilots into naval aviation. The squadron inducted Kiran Mk I in 1970 and commenced fighter training on these aircraft. An advanced version of the Kiran, the Kiran Mk II was inducted in 1986.

In 1990, the Sea Harrier Operational Flying Training Unit was set up and INAS 551 was bifurcated into two flights. INAS 551 A operated the Kirans and INAS 551 B operated the Sea Harriers, undertaking conversion onto the aircraft for pilots joining INAS 300. In May 2003, the squadron added another feather to its cap, when it set up a naval aerobatic team, the Sagar Pawan, operating Kiran Mk II jets. The Indian Navy, thus, became only the second navy in the world after the US Navy to have an active fixed wing aerobatic team.^{[citation needed]} The squadron conducts Naval Orientation Courses for pilots before they progress onto the Sea Harrier and the MiG-29K aircraft. Pre Qualified Flying Instructor Course training is also conducted for Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard pilots. The squadron continues to fulfill its role of training naval fighter pilots till date.^[4]

References

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 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	Active Ships List of Ships Submarines Weapon systems
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

Insignia

• Awards and decorations
• Ranks and insignia (Officers, JCOs, Sailors)

Documents

• Indian Maritime Doctrine
• Indian Maritime Security Strategy

History & Future

• History of the Indian Navy
• Indian maritime history
• Royal Indian Navy
• Navy Day
• President's fleet review
• Indian Naval Ensign
• List of Indian Naval deployments
• Sagar Pawan
• Future of the Indian Navy

• Category

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