INS Dega

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title: "INS Dega" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["indian-naval-air-stations", "indian-navy-bases", "airports-in-andhra-pradesh", "economy-of-visakhapatnam", "buildings-and-structures-in-visakhapatnam", "transport-in-visakhapatnam", "1970s-establishments-in-andhra-pradesh", "military-airbases-established-in-1986"] topic_path: "geography/india" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/INS_Dega" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::data[format=table title="Infobox airport"]

Field	Value
name	INS Dega
image	Participants being shown around AN 32 aircraft at INS Dega during Exercise Prakampana.jpg
ICAO	VOVZ
type	Naval Air Station
operator	Indian Navy
location	Visakhapatnam, India
pushpin_map	India Andhra Pradesh #India
pushpin_label	VOVZ
elevation-f	15
coordinates
metric-rwy	y
r1-number	05/23
r1-length-f	6,000
r1-length-m	1,829
r1-surface	Asphalt
r2-number	10/28
r2-length-f	10,007
r2-length-m	3,050
r2-surface	Asphalt
footnotes	Source: DAFIF
::

'*INS *Dega''''' , is a naval air station of the Indian Navy. It is located in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh on the east coast of India.

History

The Indian Navy started aviation operations in Visakhapatnam in when the 321 Helicopter Flight was based at INS Circars in Visakhapatnam on 23 December 1972. In 1976, four helipads along with hangars were set up adjacent to the civil airfield. On 12 March 1986, the civilian Visakhapatnam Airport was transferred from the National Airport Authority of India (now, Airports Authority of India) to the Indian Navy. The air station was then designated as 'Naval Air Station, Visakhapatnam'. The 321 Chetak Flight was initially based in the Air Base along with other shipborne flights. Additional hangars, maintenance facilities and an operations complex were constructed soon after.

On 21 October 1991, the air station was renamed and formally commissioned as INS Dega by then Vice Admiral Laxminarayan Ramdas. It is named for the Telugu language word for a big and powerful bird of the eagle family.

Units

As of 2014, INS Dega had 5 squadrons/flights and 4 ship-borne flights. As of 2015, the airbase housed 40 aircraft including naval helicopters.

Indian naval air squadrons based at INS Dega include:

INAS 551, a fighter training squadron BAE Hawk AJT aircraft
INAS 311, a reconnaissance squadron operating Dornier 228 aircraft
INAS 321, a search and rescue squadron operating HAL Chetak helicopters
INAS 333, an anti-submarine warfare squadron operating Kamov Ka-28 helicopters
INAS 350, a logistics and transport squadron operating Sea King 42C helicopters
a UAV squadron, operating DRDO Lakshya pilotless targeting UAVs

Further development

As of 2014, reports emerged that preparations have begun to deploy and permanently base a full squadron of 17 Mikoyan MiG-29K fighters to strengthen the security of India's eastern seaboard. In order to decrease the growing flight traffic in the base, a new base has been under consideration by the navy at Badangi, near Vizianagaram.

In July 2014, the MoD an initial sanction of was invested for building related technical support and infrastructure facilities. The plan for the expansion of the airbase envisages a massive increase in size as well as capabilities. In the final scenario, from the present size of 1100 acre, the INS Dega will be spread out to over 1500 acre. A parallel taxiway at the base is also in the offing which will cut down the runway occupancy time.

After the scheduled completion of the Bhogapuram International Airport, there is a planned expansion of INS Dega. The base will also host a squadron of 26 Dassault Rafale-M squadron which will be operating from INS Vikrant.

Incidents

On 2 June 2010, a HAL Chetak with four personnel crashed into Sarada River after clipping high tension wires. Fishermen were the first responders who helped remove the pilots seat belt and rescued the injured. One officer died while three were injured.

On February 16, 2012, an unmanned UAV IAI Searcher crashed into a hill near Himachal Nagar, Gajuwaka while returning from operations. Navy officials landed from choppers to retrieve the Black box.

References

"Naval Air Stations". Indian Navy.
"Vishakhapatnam". World Aero Data.
"INS Dega". Indian Navy.
Service, Express News. (2015-09-04). "Move to Shift INS Dega Dismissed".
Korablinov, Alexander. (2014-08-26). "India to deploy MiG-29s to protect east coast".
(2014-08-25). "EXCLUSIVE: Navy initiates 'Look East' for lethal MiG29K".
(2013-11-07). "Historic Badangi airstrip to be reactivated by Navy". The Times of India.
(2023-02-20). "In Andhra Pradesh, Badangi airstrip to be reactivated by Navy". The Times of India.
"Eastern Naval Command (ENC) plans to expand INS Dega in Visakhapatnam after Bhogapuram airport in Vizianagaram becomes operational". The Times of India.
"Accident HAL Chetak (SA 316B Alouette III) IN468, Wednesday 2 June 2010".
(2010-06-02). "Naval officer killed as chopper falls into river". The Hindu.
(2012-05-16). "Navy UAV crashes in hill at Vizag".

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