One of the TU-142M Long Range Maritime Patrol aircraft of the Indian Navy which has been de-inducted from active service after 29 years of dedicated service to the nation will be arriving here on Saturday.
The aircraft would be landing for the last time at INS Dega in the presence of Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, Civil Aviation Minister P. Ashok Gajapathi Raju and Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Eastern Naval Command Vice Admiral H.C.S. Bisht and a host of other civil dignitaries at a special ceremony scheduled to be held at INS Dega.
Apart from the event, the Chief Minister will interact with the family members of the NAD personnel reported missing in the Indian Air Force AN-32 aircraft last July and disburse ex gratia of ₹ 5 lakh to each family sanctioned by the State Government.
TU-142M aircraft was the heaviest, fastest and highest flying turbo prop in the world which had been the mainstay of Long Range maritime reconnaissance and Anti Submarine Warfare (ASW) Operations of the Indian Navy for close to three decades.
The Government of Andhra Pradesh has earlier requested the Ministry of Defence for allotment of one de-inducted TU-142M for setting up as an aircraft museum on the Beach Road near Kursura Submarine Museum, a Navy press release said.
Once approved, the City of Destiny can boast of having the unique aircraft displayed in the vicinity of the famous Kursura Submarine Museum.
