The ‘Bears’ of INAS 312 ‘Albatross’ have been phased out, now that the Boeing P-8I will be the mainstay of the Indian Navy’s long-range maritime patrol capability.
UCKED AWAY NEAR the sleepy hamlet of Arakkonam in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu is a unique military facility. At first impression, INS Rajali (also referred to as NAS Arakkonam, or simply by its threeletter code, ‘ARK’) is a verdant paradise, overwhelmingly lush and tranquil.
The peace and quiet is shattered as four Kuznetsov NK-12 turboprops powering the mammoth Tupolev Tu-142ME ‘Bear-F Mod 3’ long-range maritime reconnaissance aircraft roar into life. These incredible beasts have become synonymous with Arakkonam. Latterly operating alongside HAL Chetak helicopters and sleek new Boeing P-8Is, the Tu-142s of Indian Naval Air Squadron (INAS) 312 ‘Albatross’ were the stars of this air station.
Ilyushin Il-38s having entered service at Goa in 1977, talks were on for acquisition of the much larger Tu-142. While Goa was to be the initial home for these Soviet behemoths, the Indian Navy recognized that INS Hansa was becoming increasingly crowded. In March 1988 the first Tu-142s arrived at Dabolim, Goa, even as work was under way to turn the air…
