The fighter aircraft Sea Harriers flew for a final time from Indian Naval Ship (INS) Viraat on Friday. The aircraft will be seen flying for the Indian Navy for the last time ever in the Goa airspace on Wednesday, along with MiG 29K, the fighter aircraft that would replace the aging Sea Harriers fleet.
The outgoing fleet is the only jet fighter in the world with the short/vertical take-off and landing (VSTOL) feature, wherein the aircraft can take off and land vertically if there aren't any runways. If there are short runways, the aircraft can take off with relative ease.
Sea Harriers were inducted into the Indian Navy in 1983 after Sea Hawk fighters were phased out in 1978. Sea Harriers are part of Indian Naval Air Squadron (INAS) 300 – 'White Tigers' — and MiG29Ks will now be inducted into INAS 300.
"The Sea Harriers would be given a hero's send-off at a ceremony presided over by Admiral RK Dhowan, the chief of naval staff, at INS Hansa, Dabolim, Goa. Traditional change of command ceremonies will be held, where commander Shikhu Raj, a Sea Harriers pilot, would hand over the command of the squadron to captain KHV Singh, a MiG 29K pilot," said an officer.
A large number of serving and retired Sea Harrier pilots are expected to be present during the send-off ceremony in Goa. Wednesday's event would also mark the commencement of the process to decommission INS Viraat, India's second aircraft carrier, on which Sea Harriers have been serving for decades now.
The first three Sea Harriers landed at Dabolim on December 16, 1983, about three and a half years after it first entered service (April 1980) with the Royal Navy. This was followed by the first deck landing on INS Vikrant on December 20, 1983 and the arrival of the first Sea Harrier T Mk 60 trainer on March 29, 1984.
Designed and manufactured by British Aerospace, Sea Harrier is a naval VSTOL jet fighter, reconnaissance and strike aircraft. Its vertical take-off and landing ability is the most unique feature of this subsonic fighter jet. The Royal Navy de-inducted the fleet back in 2006.
