Naval air unit which bombed Pak turns 50

The Naval Aviation unit which earned kudos for its attacks in the 1971 war turns fifty. The unit which is called the Cobra Squadron initiated its gallant journey with the four Alizè aircraft and eighteen Seahawk. It came as part of the squadron arm of the India’s first Aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant.

Operating from the carrier Vikrant, the squadron, INAS 310, mounted intensive strikes on East Pakistan from December 4, 1971 onwards, destroying more than 100,776 tons of enemy shipping and maritime traffic, harbour installations, runways, infrastructure, vehicles, buildings, fuel dumps, AA gun positions, oil farms and troop concentrations, with over 291 sorties flown within 10 days.

The Cobras struck silently at night, and flew for a total of 158 hours, earning six Vir Chakras, six Nao Sena Medals and three Mentions in Despatches, for their achievements which are a rare feat.

Cobra Squadron was the third Air Squadron to be commissioned in the Indian Navy on September 28, 1960, in France. INAS 310 was officially commissioned at Toulon on March 21, 1961 by the Ambassador of India to France, Nawab Ali Yavar Jung under the command of Lt Cdr Mihir K. Roy (Later, Vice Admiral).

The Cobras and their state of art aircraft – the Alizés were soon in the thick of operations within a few weeks of its arrival in India. INS Vikrant, with its complement of Seahawk and Alizé aircraft, was deployed off the western coast in December 1961, as part of the ongoing "Operation Vijay"- the liberation of Goa from Portuguese occupation. As it turned out, the enemy could not put up a fight at sea and the operation ended without a kill for Cobras. Although no offensive missions were flown, the Alizé carried out patrol and reconnaissance missions throughout the operations.

At the time of breakout of hostilities with Pakistan in 1971, Vikrant and its squadron was fully operational and at the fore front of battle from the beginning. The end of 1988 witnessed the squadron actively participating with the IPKF against the LTTE in what came to be called 'Operation Pawan'. Shortly thereafter, the squadron also saw action in the operation codenamed 'Operation Cactus', the Alizès carried out a rocket strike against the rebels escaping in a hijacked ship between Sri Lanka and the Maldives, prompting their precipitate surrender.

Operations Pawan and Cactus proved to be the Alizès last hurray, as the ageing aircraft were nearing the end of their service life. Do-228-201K (Dornier) was chosen as the replacement for the Alizè. The first Dornier – IN 221 arrived in Goa on August 24, 1991, and Cobras smoothly changed gears transiting from the Anti Submarine Warfare to the Maritime Reconnaissance (MR) and Electronic Warfare (EW) role.

The Cobras took up the new roles with great professionalism and exploited the new equipment to such advantage that in recognition of services rendered, the squadron was rechristened ‘Information Warfare Squadron' in 1998, the only such squadron in the Navy till date.

The squadron was back in action during the 1999 Kargil war, for the first time with new Dornier aircraft. Three aircraft and about fifty officers and men of INAS 310, were deployed to the forward air bases in Gujarat, close to the Indo-Pak border. The Cobras quickly swung into action and carried out MR/ELINT missions and worked in close coordination with the Army and the Air Force. The squadron undertook extensive operations. For the first time the Dornier was deployed as an EW platform in support of the Army and the Air Force for integrated ELINT operations.

The Cobras in the new millennium spread their wings overseas, being tasked around the world from the Middle East to the small island nations of the Indian Ocean to South East Asia. Most of these missions were of a classified nature.

The Cobras have participated in all Naval Operations both major and minor, exercised with foreign Navies, and rendered assistance to littoral and neighbouring island nations. With a glorious 50 years in their wake, the Cobras look to the future with their full commitment for the security of the nation.