Not just vigil though! They flew armed.
The Alizé had been modified for Matra SNEB pods (under @arunp2810’s clearance as CO Hansa, IIRC) shortly before they headed to Madurai under Cdr RK Singh. And the rocket pods did see some action! Photo via Cdr (ret.) Arun Kumar.
The Alizé had been modified for Matra SNEB pods (under @arunp2810’s clearance as CO Hansa, IIRC) shortly before they headed to Madurai under Cdr RK Singh. And the rocket pods did see some action! Photo via Cdr (ret.) Arun Kumar.
https://twitter.com/srikantkesnur/status/1374034127196811268
They took some heat in return too — per Cdr (ret.) DD Naik, “During this period an aircraft flown by Lt JJ Nijhavan was shot at by LMG while on finals to Jaffna. The bullets hit the empty bomb bay and went out of the centre coaming of the canopy. Pilot & Observer unharmed!”
The Madurai detachment started with a tasking of four weeks, ended up running a hair over a year! Madurai barely qualified as an airstrip, and the Cobras operated from tents pitched near the aprons for nearly the entire duration. Incredible stuff.
(Photos via Cdr (R) DD Naik)
(Photos via Cdr (R) DD Naik)
For their role in Op Pawan, the Cobras were awarded three Naosena Medals, four Mentions in Despatches, and four CNS Commendations. A tidy haul!
And here’s what INAS 310 flies today — the workhorse Dornier 228. Potent, and still seeing improvements, most recently in form of a @HALHQBLR glass cockpit.
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