ALH Indian Naval Air Squadron 324 commissioned at Visakhapatnam
Indian Naval Air Squadron 324 was inducted into the Indian Navy on 04 July 2022 in an impressive commissioning ceremony held at INS Dega, Visakhapatnam. The unit is the first squadron of the Navy to operate indigenously designed and manufactured Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) Mk III (MR) helicopters on the Eastern Seaboard.
It is named 'KESTRELS', which means bird of prey and have good sensory capabilities, reflecting the intended role of aircraft and air squadrons.
The squadron's insignia depicts a 'KESTRELS' searching over vast blue and white sea waves, representing the squadron's integral Maritime Reconnaissance (MR) and Search and Rescue (SAR) role. The ALH MK III helicopters are equipped with state-of-the-art equipment including modern surveillance radars and electro-optical sensors.
▪️ Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH)
It is developed and manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). HAL is a public sector aircraft manufacturing company. Apart from their core roles of Maritime Reconnaissance (MR) and Search and Rescue (SAR), these helicopters can be deployed for Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations as well as special operations with Marine Commandos.