The Naval Aircraft Yard (Kochi), an industrial establishment of the Indian Navy at the Naval Base here, has reached a major milestone by releasing the 50th Pegasus engine for service, post overhaul.
Vice-Admiral S.P.S. Cheema, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Naval Command, formally released the engine at a function held at the yard on Monday. The Pegasus engines, which power the Sea Harriers aircraft, has been overhauled and serviced at the yard since 2001.
Speaking on the occasion, Vice-Admiral Cheema said the case for upgrade of the yard with the most modern equipment was being processed, which would be implemented over the next 5-7 years. “Plans are afoot to take the NAY(K) to greater heights by utilising its present and retired staff and the release of the 50th engine acts as a force multiplier”, he said.
The function was also attended by former Naval Chief Admiral Arun Prakash, who served in the yard in the 1970s, representatives from Rolls Royce, HAL and serving and retired officials of the Indian Navy.
The Pegasus engines, whose original equipment manufacturer (OEM) is Rolls Royce company, had to be send to the U.K. for overhauling and servicing till the commencement of Project Ashok in 2001. Under the project, wide-ranging facilities including Aero Engine Repair and Overhaul Shop (AEROS), Pegasus Engine Test Bed (PETB) and the Centre for Avionics Repair and Software Development (CARES) were set up at a cost of about Rs 310 crore.
Talking to media persons on the sidelines of the event, Vice-Admiral Cheema said the proposal for an exclusive marine police cadre for Kerala was still under the active consideration of the authorities. “We are really concentrating on beefing up the maritime border of Kerala and Lakshadweep and the a recent meeting of the apex committee on coastal security in Thiruvananthapuram, co-chaired by the Chief Secretary, discussed several issues pertaining to the security of the 650-km-long coastal line of the State’’, the official said.
