INAS 300 explained

Unit Name:INAS 300
Dates:7 July 1960 - Present[1]
Country: India
Garrison:INS Hansa
Nickname:The White Tigers[2]
Aircraft Fighter:

The INAS 300 is the longest serving combat unit of the Indian Navy,[5] based at INS Hansa.[2] [3]

History

The White Tigers were commissioned on 7 July 1959[5] at RNAS Brawdy, United Kingdom with the Indian High Commissioner to UK, Vijay Laxmi Pandit, in attendance. The first Squadron Commander was Lt Cdr B D Law. The squadron was initially equipped with the Hawker Sea Hawk aircraft. On 18 May 1961, Lt Cdr R. H. Tahiliani carried out the first deck landing on on Sea Hawk IN 156. The squadron left RNAS Brawdy on 31 July 1961 with eleven Hawker Sea Hawks and embarked off the Isle of Wight. During the course of the next ten years the Indian Navy inducted fifty-four Sea Hawks in a phased manner, the last aircraft being delivered in December 1971.[6] The Sea Hawks were retired from the Indian Navy in a phased manner in the late-70s and early-80s.[5] The Sea Harriers were replaced by MiG-29KUBs on 11 May 2016 in a ceremony held at INS Hansa.They now act as an operational conversion unit for the INAS 303, the black panthers.[4]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Indian Naval Air Squadron (INAS) 300. Global Security. 25 December 2014.
  2. News: The White Tigers Go Golden. 25 December 2014. Vayu Aerospace. 21 December 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20120331165814/http://www.vayuaerospace.in/images1/Indian_Navy_The_White_Tigers.pdf. 31 March 2012. dead.
  3. Web site: INAS 300 – The White Tigers. Indian Navy. 25 December 2014.
  4. Web site: INAS 300 retires Harriers. Press Information Bureau. 11 May 2016.
  5. News: 'White Tigers' squadron turns 60: Facts on Indian Navy's longest serving combat unit . 16 May 2020 . India Today. 9 July 2019.
  6. Web site: SEA HARRIER Indian Navy. indiannavy.nic.in. 6 May 2016.