Indian Navy Statement: The maritime reconnaissance capability of the Indian Navy’s Eastern Naval Command got a fillip with the commissioning of a new UAV squadron at INS Parundu, the air station at Ramnathapuram in Tamil Nadu. The Naval Air Squadron INAS 344 was commissioned yesterday by Vice Admiral Anil Chopra, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command.
INAS 344, commanded by Commander Vinit Anand and known as the Spirited Shadowers (the squadron crest depicts an Osprey) is the third of its kind in the Indian Navy and first on the Eastern coast of India (the second, INAS 343 was commissioned in Jan 2011 at Porbandar, Gujarat). The squadron will operate IAI Heron and Searcher Mk.2 UAVs. INS Parundu, commissioned on 26 Mar 09, is presently commanded by Captain VB Bellary. The station, which had first started as a small naval air detachment in 1985, operates Chetak and Dornier aircraft today that provide round-the-clock patrolling and air surveillance in the Palk Bay and Gulf of Mannar regions. The commissioning of UAV squadron will boost naval operations in the region while marking an important milestone in the history of Indian naval aviation as well.
Livefist wishes INAS 344 fair winds and safe operations.
Photo / DPR Defence
Am I wrong here, or is it right that they are starting a squadron with 2 + 2 planes ??
I read it in TOI.
Happy Baisakhi to Shiv & Livefist followers.
We need to do away with all this ceremonial displays with full costumes and make it a more professional and formal unit. Get rid of all this unnecessary fancy dress reharsals.
Joy @1246.
1. It's a uniform, not a costume.
2. The fact that the officers in the photograph are in ceremonial dress uniform is a reflection of the nature of the occassion and has no bearing whatsoever on their professionalism which you have casually trashed.
3. This is a formal function, and this is about as formal as the Navy gets, and this is plenty. You want it more formal??? Decide.
4. If you have a clue about espirit-de-corps or tradion of the fighting services, then talk about "unnecessary fancy dress". Else, you would be well advised to zip it.
Anon 2:01 To me a uniform is what you wear during active service. A costume is what you wear during a ceremony. And wearing a costume in no way reflects anything but military egocentrism and least of all professionalism. I have no clue about espirit-de-corps or any such fancy french words. And I care even less about it. I am as civie as they come. To me professionalism is about just getting your job done and going home. Not making a full costume song and dance about it.
@Joy,
Do not equate ceremonial uniform to costumes.
Traditions and ceremonies form an integral part of any armed service that considers itself professional.
Navies around the world have diverse and rich ceremonial practices that are essential to their fighting and professional ethos.
Agree with Anon. Joy, you clearly don't understand military ceremonials and the auspiciousness of a raising/commissioning. You'd do well to read about how military forces the world over treat this sort of thing. You certainly don't have to "zip it", but consider enlightening yourself.
`Spirited Shadower` Cool name
Indian Navy Statement: The maritime reconnaissance capability of the Indian Navy's Eastern Naval Command got a fillip with the …
I seem to have ruffled quite a few feathers there by my last comment.
Shiv, no disrespect to you but I choose to stick to my guns regardless. Its my opinion, you dont have to like it or agree with it. I feel Indian army/ navy is too steep into traditional ceremonies. Traditions that is not even our own but inherited from British colonial legacy. These traditions dont do anything to actually enhance our combat effectiveness. I m sorry but to an average civie like me it looks like a meaningless preoccupation nothing more, and especially at a time when some of our military and naval capabilities are seriously lacking. Thats no secret. I have lived in the US for over 15 years and rarely have I ever seen a military ceremony. I m not trashing the professionalism or sacrifice made by the wonderful men serving in the army or navy, just saying the ceremonies dont hold any meaning to me, it only looks like a full costume fancy dress charade where we try to immitate our British masters from a different time.
shiv any news on nlca was it scrapped please post some news on tejas program
@Joy: No ruffled feathers, rest assured. If you haven't seen ceremonials in the U.S., perhaps you haven't had access to ceremonials. I hope you do.
@Shiv, I used to live in Highland falls, NY and I used to frequently visit West Point. I even saw the Black Knights plays the Falcons. I even visited Bradley ANGB in Windsor Locks, Connecticut and Fort Drum, NY a few times. No, I can assure you the Yankees just aren't into ceremonies as much as we are.
@Joy 9:25,
You said it!
As a civy you get you job done(banging away at a keyboard??) and go home.
In the forces you cannot do that a lot of times.
Job in the forces may mean patrolling for days on end,with the same group of men in a closed environment battling where the battle is multi-fold and the leader /team is presented with ever changing scenarios.
It may mean fighting militants is forests ,in freezing weather where every man knows that the next step could be his last.
That is where espirit- de- corps comes in,they are not fancy words for those in the thick of things.
Regimental ceremonies are a reaffirmation of comradeship and pride in that fighting formation.
Keeping some fancy books at your desk may help you give an air of being 'in',but military life cannot be survived by 'airs'.
To a guys who sits in his office waiting to go home, reveling in office politics or deciding how to suck up to his boss for his next promotion or in which new company better prospects lie such things would obviously be alien.
The US forces have a system of ceremonies,honor guards,reviews,memorials etc just like any service.
College football ceremonies are not the right places to gauge military traditions.
@Anon 10:54 AM
Using many word you have actually managed to say nothing meaningful other then expressing your military egocentrism and your condescension for civies for all they do is bang on keyboards and indulge in office politics according to you.
The military doesnt have any politic whatsoever? Never any sucking up to the boss in the military? Never any corruption allegation?
In all your explanation, I still fail to see the relevance of ceremonies to actual combat preparedness. You only threw some cliches about "reaffirmation of comradeship" "pride in fighting"….
At least a football game keeps the moral high, provides entertainment and keeps the men and women in good physical and mental health. What does a costum ceremony do?
@Anon 10:54 AM
And yes as a civie, at least in the US, you get paid for getting your job done….by banging your keyboard or however you want to do it. You do your job and go home. Not make a song and dance to glorify whatever you have done.
@Joy. Kindly don't show your ignorance in a public forum. Are you an Indian..? And are showing your patriotic fervour by working in the US for the last 15 years..? Probably have got US citizenship as well. Good for you, we can do well by having lesser mortals like you around here.
The pride with which a soldier (or sailor, in this case) wears his uniform (whether ceremonial or otherwise) is testimony of his motivation level. Don't you like to dress up a bit when you feel good? Rarely have I seen anyone attend a formal function in shorts and tees.
This banter on what looks good does not need your inputs, since, obviously, you have no military experience.
Like someone previously said… ZIP IT..
@all who replied to Joy
y giving such unneccessary importance to a moron who can't even differentiate a uniform from a costume. better use your words to congratulate the Navy for INAS 344.
All said and done,Joy's concern such as "and especially at a time when some of our military and naval capabilities are seriously lacking" is indeed genuine.All these ceremonialsand shop windows will not help us when facing Chinese might.No doubt,we have to be more professional than yhe present state where services are reduced to an employment option !