The Coast Guard is to not only induct seven aircraft including four Dornier aircraft during the year but has also got Government sanction to acquire 30 helicopters, the Director-General, Vice-Admiral, Mr Anil Chopra said on Monday.

“The Coast Guards should get three helicopters by March this year while the Dornier aircraft will be delivered in the early part of this year,” Vice- Admiral Mr Chopra said at a press conference. Regarding the Government sanction for the 30 helicopters, the DG said it could take a year or two for the contract and two-to-three for delivery of the machines.

Focus areas

Talking about the developments in the last one year, the Vice-Admiral said the concentration had been on building capacity and increasing manpower among others. “We hope to double the capacity of ships and aircraft by 2012 and triple it by the end of the decade,” he said.

He said eight ships were commissioned into service last year and three more are expected to be inducted by March this year. The service is expected to achieve an effective strength of about 200 surface platforms and 100 aircraft by 2018.

The biggest constraint faced by the Coast Guard was shortage of trained manpower, the Director-General added.

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