Indian Navy launches first MH-60R squadron
The squadron will be based at the Garuda naval base near Kochi, and will reportedly operate six helicopters
The India Navy has commissioned its first squadron flying Sikorsky MH-60R helicopters.
Indian Naval Air Squadron (INAS) 334 will be based at Indian Naval Station Garuda in the southwestern city of Kochi.
According to a report by the Times of India, the squadron will operate a fleet of six rotorcraft, from a batch of 24 ordered from the US government in February 2020.
The Indian Navy’s MH-60R fleet is intended for use in a range of operations, including search and rescue (SAR), medical evacuation, anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare, and vertical replenishment.
The US State Department also previously approved the proposed sale of MH-60Rs to Norway in April 2023.
Oliver Cuenca
Oliver Cuenca is a Junior Editor at AirMed&Rescue. He was previously a News and Features Journalist for the rail magazine IRJ until 2021, and studied MA Magazine Journalism at Cardiff University. His favourite helicopter is the AW169 – the workhorse of the UK air ambulance sector! He also led the creation of Waypoint: The AirMed&Rescue podcast, serving as its Production Editor and co-host.