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Tuesday, January 15, 2013

India Set To Transfer A Newly Built Dornier Do-228 Aircraft To Seychelles

The Dornier Do-228 Transport Aircraft, made by the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited [HAL], will soon be transferred for operation by the Seychelles Air Force.

The aircrafts are built in India, under license from its original manufacturers the, then, Dornier GmBH company, at HAL's Transport Aircraft Division [TAD]. This news was reported in the latest edition of HAL-Connect,

"TAD, Kanpur Division will deliver a Do-228 aircraft to Seychelles Air Force shortly. The Division conducted a four week training program for the Seychelles aircrew from November 19 to December 15, 2012, to acquaint with the operation of the aircraft. The training program was designed to cover all relevant aspects of the aircraft including airframe, power plant, avionics, auto flight, electrical power, aircraft electrical as well as mechanical system and aircraft flying procedures.

Shri D. Balasubramanian, GM and Shri V.K.Joshi , COP, TAD, Kanpur released the Pilot Operating Handbook (POH) for Seychelles DO-228 aircraft. GM also felicitated four pilots of Seychelles Air Force with training certificates. Shri Arup Chatterjee, AGM (Planning) handed over the soft copy of the training material to Seychelles air crew."

- Training on Do-228 Imparted to Seychelles Aircrew

India has had a strong & long-standing relation with the island nation, that extends into the military domain. The Indian Navy [IN] has been carrying out deterrence patrols of its Exclusive Economic Zone [EEZ], for years now, sanitising the waters of the menace of piracy, along with undertaking maritime surveys. Even as Seychelles own aircraft, which India is gifting it, along with 2 Chetak Helicopters, was being built, IN's own Do-228 had been stationed there, carrying out tasks, essentially anti-piracy related, which this new plane will perform. Besides this, India has been regularly undertaking training programmes for their security & defence personals. A few years back, an agreement was signed, whereby India would impart training to their Special Forces Unit in carrying out missions like deep sea diving, VIP protection & undertaking Special Forces-specific operations, if need arises. It is also going to install a radar system estimated to be worth $10 million USD. In all likelihood, it would be linked to India's own radar chain, as has said to have been done with the ones set up in Maldives.  Besides this, India has also pledged $5 million USD for building up Seychelles' capability to fight the menace of piracy on its own - a major threat to the tourism-dependant nation.

Godspeed

Related: INS Darshak, Indian Navy Vessel at the South African Navy Festival [Photographs]