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The Indian Navy has inducted P-8I maritime surveillance aircraft to replace the TU-142M, which had played a stellar role in several operations.
The TU-142M was on Wednesday retired after 29 years of service. The Indian Navy and the Andhra Pradesh government plan to convert an aircraft into a museum.
At a ceremony at Naval Air Station INS Rajali in Arakkonam, Tamil Nadu, attended by Admiral Sunil Lanba, Chief of the Naval Staff, the ‘Flying Destroyer’ was given an impressive farewell, flying for the last time in unison with three Chetak helicopters, two Dorniers, one IL-38 and the new Boeing P-8I.
The P-8I, which is equipped with harpoon anti-ship missiles, lightweight torpedoes, rockets and new generation sensors and radars, has been fully integrated into the operational grid, the Navy said in a statement.
P-8I is the third type of aircraft, after the Lockheed L1049G Super Constellation and the TU-142M, to be operated by Indian Navy’s 312nd Squadron.
While eight P-8Is have been inducted, Boeing is to deliver four more in 2020.
Lauding TU 142M’s service, Admiral Sunil Lanba recollected the crucial role played by the 312nd Squadron in Maldives, where fleeing mercenaries were detected and tracked till they were apprehended by India’s warships.
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