The Indian Navy has officially ended the operation of its Sea King Mk 42B helicopters and decommissioned the naval air squadron INAS 330 “Harpoons,” marking the end of more than five decades of service for the aircraft.
The decision is part of a broader naval modernization effort aimed at replacing aging equipment with more advanced platforms.
The Sea King played a key role in Indian naval aviation since the 1970s, carrying out anti-submarine warfare, maritime surveillance, search-and-rescue, fleet reconnaissance, and Exclusive Economic Zone monitoring missions. The aircraft also played an important role during the 1971 Indo-Pakistani War, conducting patrols focused on anti-submarine operations.
As naval threats evolved technologically, particularly with the emergence of quieter submarines and more sophisticated anti-ship weapons, the Sea King’s onboard systems began to show operational limitations. In addition, airframe fatigue and the growing difficulty of obtaining spare parts made maintaining the fleet increasingly complex and costly.
To replace the veteran helicopters, India has already introduced the modern MH-60R Seahawk and plans to further expand its capabilities through the national IMRH program, developed by HAL. The initiative aims to provide a new generation of multi-role helicopters for both land-based and shipborne operations, strengthening the Indian Navy’s ability to meet the challenges of today’s maritime environment.
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Source: Militarnyi | Photos: Indian Navy | This content was created with the assistance of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
