Sri Lankan Navy, Air Force to train on Indian Navy's Advanced Light Helicopter
India-Sri Lanka
In order to foster closer interoperability and seamless conduct of coordinated operations at sea, a team from the Indian Navy is in Sri Lanka to train the Lankan Air Force and Navy in helicopter operations.
The week-long training is planned to familiarise the Lankan Air Force pilots with India's Advanced Light Helicopter and to provide co-pilot experience.
The training team will also undertake extensive deck-landing practice onboard the Lankan Navy's Advanced Offshore Patrol vessel Sayurala.
The Indian Navy's Advanced light helicopter instructors arrived at the Sri Lankan Air Force Base, Katunayake, to commence the training. This training deployment is in line with the Indian government's 'Neighbourhood First' policy.
The high level of understanding and coordination between the armed forces of the two countries further cement the close relations achieved through millennia-old friendly ties between the neighbours.
The Indian Navy uses the Mk 3 variant of the Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH), which is built by the state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Limited.
The ALH is used for search and rescue operations in both day and night conditions and can operate from Naval vessels and bases. This chopper can be used to undertake armed patrol missions, casualty evacuations.
This variant of the chopper has a state-of-the-art Maritime Patrol Radar and Electro-optical payload, which enhances its surveillance capability.
