KOCHI: The Naval Aircraft Yard, Kochi, (NAY-K) on Monday added another feather to its cap by rolling out the 50th Rolls Royce Pegasus engine, post overhaul.
The Rolls Royce Pegasus engine powers fighter aircraft Sea Harrier, the most successful fighter of the air arm of the Navy, which was acquired along with Aircraft Carrier INS Viraat. The overhauled Pegasus engine was released by Southern Naval Command Flag Officer Commanding-in-chief Vice-Admiral S P S Cheema, in the presence of former Chief Admiral Arun Prakash and retired officers who had served the NAY-K.
Originally manufactured by the Rolls Royce company, the Pegasus engines had to be sent to the United Kingdom to be overhauled and serviced, until facilities like the 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 NAY-K, at a cost of about `310 Crore under project Ashoka.
The facilities help ‘Naval Aviation’ overcome obsolescence issues in a significant way. Their use has resulted in foreign exchange savings of over `1,800 crore to the national exchequer.
Speaking on the occasion, Vice-Admiral Cheema appreciated the outstanding contributions made by the Yard in supporting the air arm fleet over the decades.
He said that the ongoing upgradation of the Yard, with the most modern equipment, was expected to be completed over the next 5-7 years.
The function was attended by former Chief Admiral Arun Prakash, who served in the Yard in the 1970s; representatives from Rolls Royce and HAL; and serving and retired officials of the Indian Navy.
The foundation blocks of the NAY-K were laid by HAL in 1956, as an aircraft maintenance unit to repair and maintain Naval aircraft.
The facility was taken over by the Navy in 1960, and was christened the Naval Aircraft Repair Organisation (NARO).
Over the years, it developed into a comprehensive industrial establishment with state-of-the-art facilities for the repair of aircraft, aero engines, avionics and components. It was re-christened the Naval Aircraft Yard in 1981.
The other achievements of the Yard were modifications to Chetak helicopters for the first ever Aero Magnetic Survey of Antarctica in 1987; conversion of the engine of Islander Aircraft from ‘Piston’ to ‘Turbine’ in 1996; and modifications and recovery of seven Sea King 42-B helicopters post the Pokhran sanctions. The NAY-K is presently being headed by Commodore A George.