Port Blair, Dec. 5: The Indian Naval Air Squadron 318, christened as ‘Hawks’, was commissioned on 08 Mar 1984 as a frontline Maritime Air Squadron at Port Blair, Andaman & Nicobar Islands. Beginning with the Islander aircraft having limited reconnaissance capability, the squadron graduated to a more potent ‘Dornier’ aircraft in Dec 1999. Over the years, the squadron has transformed into a formidable frontline MR Squadron equipped with state of the art surveillance radar and electronic suite.

The Squadron undertakes maritime operational missions in the ANC (AOR) covering the strategic ‘Six degree Channel’ and the Malacca Straits, keeping a sharp vigil over the shipping traffic and surveillance over the EEZ shared with neighbouring nations of Myanmar, Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia.

The Squadron has been executing its role in a professional manner contributing immensely to maintenance of Maritime Security. The squadron has been pivotal in monitoring the activities of Multi National Forces (MNF) and Extra Regional Forces (ERF) in the region having successfully undertaken multitude of missions ranging from Maritime Reconnaissance, Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) Surveillance, Information Warfare (IW)/ELINT Operations, Search and Shadow operations, SLOC (Sea Lines of Communication) monitoring, Fleet Support, Search and Rescue, Casualty Evacuation, Co-ordinated Patrols with foreign navies and Communication Duties.

For their exceptional service, professionalism and dedication towards duty, the squadron was awarded Unit Citation by the Chief of Naval Staff on the occasion of Navy Day 22.