The Indian Navy has officially retired its esteemed Sea King Mk 42B helicopter fleet and decommissioned the historic Indian Naval Air Squadron 330 (INAS 330), signifying the conclusion of an era that saw over five decades of distinguished operational service.
The Sea King Mk 42B helicopters, affectionately referred to as “Flying Frigates,” completed their last ceremonial flight from INS Shikra, the naval air station located within the Western Naval Command in Mumbai, on June 15, 2026. This event also represented the formal “number plating” of INAS 330, popularly known as the “Harpoons” squadron.
Initially commissioned on April 17, 1971, at INS Garuda in Kochi under Commander M.P. Wadhawan, INAS 330 quickly established itself as one of the most decorated and operationally significant squadrons in the Indian Navy’s history. The squadron notably played a critical role during the 1971 Indo-Pakistan War, making history when a Sea King helicopter became the first multi-role helicopter to land on the prestigious aircraft carrier INS Vikrant on July 26, 1971.
Throughout its 55 years of service, the Sea King Mk 42B proved to be the backbone of the Navy’s anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare capabilities. Equipped with advanced torpedoes, depth charges, and missiles, the helicopters were deployed in a variety of missions that included anti-submarine operations, anti-ship warfare, maritime surveillance, and search-and-rescue tasks.
The legacy of the Harpoons squadron is marked by a commendable record of operational excellence and valor, having earned a remarkable 22 Nausena Medals over its operational lifetime. Typically operating between six and eight Sea King helicopters, INAS 330 became synonymous with professionalism and effective maritime combat capability.
Though the Sea King Mk 42B fleet has been retired from frontline service, other variants of the Sea King will remain operational within the Indian Navy. The retired airframes will not face scrapping; some will be repurposed as utility transport helicopters after the combat systems are removed, while others will serve as test platforms for ongoing sensor and weapon trials, including the Naval Anti-Ship Missile (NASM) programme.
The retirement of the Sea King Bravo fleet is coinciding with the Indian Navy’s continued modernization of its rotary-wing aviation capabilities, highlighted by the recent induction of advanced platforms, such as the Sikorsky MH-60R multi-role helicopters.
The decommissioning of INAS 330 symbolizes the end of a remarkable chapter in Indian Naval Aviation history, commemorating a fleet and squadron that served the nation with professionalism, dedication, and distinction over the course of more than half a century.
