Panaji: Commissioned as a modest air station with only a few aircraft, as INS Hansa celebrates its diamond jubilee today, it has already transformed into Indian Navy’s premier air station. It has increased its prowess over the last six decades and is presently operating over 40 military aircraft, clocking an average yearly flying of over 5000 hours. The air station also supports civil aviation by handling domestic and international flights 24×7, with an average of 29000 flights in a year.
It has been an eventful journey since the Naval Jet Flight was set up at Coimbatore in 1958 with Sea Hawk, Alize and Vampire aircraft, and was later commissioned as INS Hansa on September 5, 1961.
After the liberation of Goa, Dabolim airfield was taken over by the Navy in April 1962 and INS Hansa shifted to Dabolim in June 1964.
INS Hansa is the abode of the Indian Navy’s frontline air squadrons – INAS 310 ‘Cobras’ with Dornier-228 aircraft, INAS 315 ‘Winged Stallions’ with the long range maritime patrol aircraft IL-38SD, INAS 339 ‘Falcons’ with the airborne early warning Kamov-31 helicopter; INAS 303 ‘Black Panthers’ and INAS 300 ‘ White Tigers’ with the supersonic carrier-borne MiG 29K fighters, and INAS 323 ‘Harriers’ with ALH Mk III helicopters. The air station will soon operate the Boeing P8I long range maritime reconnaissance aircraft with the commissioning of INAS 316.
Cmde Ajay D Theophilus, Commanding Officer, INS Hansa said, “Over the years, the base has represented a crucial segment of the Navy’s combat power. Aircraft from Hansa augment the security of entire western seaboard significantly, including offshore assets, and undertake extensive surveillance to neutralise threats at and from the sea. The base has also provided substantial aid to civil authorities in the form of search and rescue, HADR, flood relief, community activities and numerous Vande Bharat flights.
INS Hansa is the host for the prestigious event of presentation of President’s Colour to naval aviation by the President of India on September 6, 2021. The event not just coincides with the diamond jubilee of INS Hansa, but also with the liberation of Goa.
– global bihari bureau
