Powered by 550 shaft-horse-power single turbine engine, the helicopter has an endurance of more than two and a half hours with a maximum speed of 103 knots.
As part of enhancing its resources, the Coast Guard has inducted a HAL-built (Hindustan Aeronautical Limited) Chetak helicopter, capable of undertaking missions, including maritime reconnaissance, which will be operating under the operational command of the Coast Guard Air Station, Chennai.
"This Chetak helicopter (CG 820) is a high performance,multi role, versatile flying machine capable of undertaking various Coast Guard missions such as search-and-rescue, casualty evacuation, maritime reconnaissance, pollution response and aerial photography besides acting as a lethal platform from the air," a Coast Guard press release in Chennai said.
Commander Coast Guard Region (East), inspector general A Rajashekhar, formally received the helicopter in Eastern Region at Coast Guard Air Station in Chennai and it will be on 'active service' from July 22 as part of 848 Squadron of the Coast Guard, the release said.
The helicopter has been indigenously built by the HAL.
Powered by 550 shaft-horse-power single turbine engine, the helicopter has an endurance of more than two and a half hours with a maximum speed of 103 knots.
It has a crew composition of a pilot, co-pilot and multipurpose aircrew for various missions at sea and is equipped with latest gadgets, including GPS and other communication equipment, the release said.
While the first ICG aviation unit 800 squadron was commissioned in May 1982 with two Chetak helicopters at Goa, the air arm of Indian Coast Guard has now spread wings over Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal and Andaman & Nicobar Islands with an inventory of 17 Chetak helicopters, 24 Dornier aircraft and three Advanced light helicopter (ALH).
"This would be further strengthened with induction of Multi Mission Maritime Aircraft (MMMA) in near future and Twin Engine Helicopters," the release added.
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