The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) has commissioned its second ALH Mk III Squadron. The new helicopters are operated by 845 Sqn (CG) at the Coast Guard Air Enclave Kochi.
Four of these helicopters are being positioned at Kochi, covering the entire coast of Karnataka, Kerala and Lakshadweep islands. The 845 Sqn has already flown over 350 hours and conducted numerous operational missions, namely NATPOLREX VIII at Goa, afloat confirmatory trials & clearances and trial landings at dispersed helipads.
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) manufactures the indigenously developed helicopters and will undertake Search & Rescue operations and long-range maritime surveillance duties.
The ICG has placed orders with HAL for 16 ALH MK-IIIs and has taken delivery of 12 to date. The helicopters are also fitted with a pintle-mounted heavy machine gun to undertake constabulary missions at sea. They also have a removable Medical Intensive Care Unit (MICU) to facilitate the transfer of critically ill patients during
MEDEVAC.
The new helicopters feature a full glass cockpit, high-intensity searchlight, traffic alert and collision avoidance system (TCAS), advanced communication systems, automatic identification system (AIS), search-and-rescue homer and automatic flight control system (AFCS) and are fitted with modern surveillance radar/ electro-optical (EO) equipment.