KOCHI: An air squadron of the Indian Navy based here carried out its maiden night landing by Dornier aircraft at the Agatti airfield in Lakshadweep islands on Friday as part of its efforts towards round the clock maritime surveillance and support to the islands.
The night time exercise was carried out by the Navy's INAS 550 air squadron " to reinvigorate and re-emphasise India's maritime moorings" as part of the 'Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav' to celebrate the 75th anniversary of Indian independence, a Defence release said on Friday.
The Agatti atoll, where the lone airstrip of the island archipelago is located, is about 460 km west of Kochi in the Arabian Sea, the release said.
The airfield operated by the Airport Authority of India (AAI) was inaugurated in April 1988 for operation of Dornier 228 aircraft, it said and added that ATR 72 planes began operations from there in September 2010.
"However, owing to the short runway length and limited airfield services available, the operations of both civil airliners and military aircraft had been limited to day only," it said.
Under the aegis of the Indian Navy, the Southern Naval Command took the initiative to overcome this limitation and in coordination with AAI and Directorate General of Civil Aviation, the maiden night landing was successfully carried out, the release said.
"As part of the trials, multiple approaches and landings were carried out from both sides of the runway to validate suitability for operations."
"The successful night trials would pave the way for future operations of Dornier 228 aircraft from this airfield by night which will boost Indian Navy's efforts towards round the clock maritime surveillance and support to the islands," it said.