An all-women Indian Naval crew created history by completing independently the maritime reconnaissance and surveillance mission in the North Arabian Sea onboard a Dornier 228 aircraft.
On wednesday, five officers of the Indian Navy’s INAS 314 based at the Naval Air Enclave, Porbandar, created a name for themselves by completing the first all-women independent maritime reconnaissance and surveillance mission in the North Arabian Sea onboard a Dornier 228 aircraft, said the Navy officials. The sortie was done by the team led by Aanchal Sharma, who was assisted by pilots, Shivangi and Apurva Gite, and tactical and sensor officers, Pooja Panda and Pooja Shekhawat. These officers of the INAS 314, which is a frontline Naval Air Squadron, received months of ground training and comprehensive mission briefings ahead of the flying, said the Navy.
The Navy stated that the “first-of-its-kind military flying mission was,unique and is expected to pave the way for women officers in the aviation cadre to assume greater responsibility and aspire for more challenging roles”. It perhaps marks a unique achievement for the Armed Forces that a crew of only women officers undertook an independent operational mission in a multi-crew maritime surveillance aircraft, the officials added. “It was indeed a mission that showcased “Nari Shakti” in its real spirit,” asserted the Navy.