View source for INS Dega

{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2017}}
{{Use Indian English|date=December 2017}}
{{Italic title prefixed|3}}
{{Infobox airport
| name = INS Dega
| nativename = 
| nativename-a = 
| image = Participants being shown around AN 32 aircraft at INS Dega during Exercise Prakampana.jpg
| image-width = 
| IATA = 
| ICAO = VOVZ
| type = [[Naval Air Station]]
| owner = 
| operator = [[Indian Navy]]
| city-served = 
| location = [[Visakhapatnam]], [[India]]
| pushpin_map = India Andhra Pradesh #India
| pushpin_label = '''VOVZ'''
| elevation-f = 15
| elevation-m = 
| coordinates = {{coord|17|43|16|N|083|13|28|E|region:IN_type:airport|display=inline,title}}
| website = 
| metric-rwy = y
| r1-number = 05/23
| r1-length-f = 6,000
| r1-length-m = 1,829
| r1-surface = [[Asphalt concrete|Asphalt]]
| r2-number = 10/28
| r2-length-f = 10,007
| r2-length-m = 3,050
| r2-surface = [[Asphalt concrete|Asphalt]]
| footnotes = Source: [[DAFIF]]
}}

'''INS ''Dega''''' {{Airport codes||VOVZ}}, is a [[naval air station]] of the [[Indian Navy]]. It is located in [[Visakhapatnam]], [[Andhra Pradesh]] on the east coast of India.<ref name=in-nas>{{cite web|url=http://indiannavy.nic.in/NavalAvnWebsite/NavalAirStations.htm|title=Naval Air Stations|publisher=Indian Navy|access-date=2011-08-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110810053816/http://indiannavy.nic.in/NavalAvnWebsite/NavalAirStations.htm|archive-date=10 August 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name=wad-vevz>{{cite web|url=http://worldaerodata.com/wad.cgi?id=IN02800|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130217022627/http://worldaerodata.com/wad.cgi?id=IN02800|url-status=usurped|archive-date=17 February 2013|title=Vishakhapatnam|publisher=World Aero Data|access-date=2011-08-18}}</ref>

== History ==
The Indian Navy initially started aviation operations in Visakhapatnam in the late 1970s, with the construction of four helipads adjacent to the civil airfield. The civilian [[Visakhapatnam Airport]] was transferred to the [[Directorate General of Civil Aviation (India)|Directorate General of Civil Aviation]] in 1981. The air station was then called '''Naval Air Station, Visakhapatnam'''. 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]].<ref>{{cite web | url=http://indiannavy.nic.in/about-indian-navy/ins-dega | title=INS Dega | publisher=Indian Navy | access-date=5 July 2013 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140407191733/http://indiannavy.nic.in/about-indian-navy/ins-dega | archive-date=7 April 2014 | url-status=dead }}</ref> It is named for the [[Telugu language]] word for a big and powerful bird of the eagle family.

==Units==
Indian naval air squadrons based at INS ''Dega'' include:
* [[INAS 551]], a fighter training squadron [[BAE Systems Hawk|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 [[Sikorsky UH-3 Sea King]] helicopters
* a UAV squadron, operating [[DRDO Lakshya]] pilotless targeting UAVs
* The [[BAE Systems Hawk]] advanced jet trainer was inducted on 6 November 2013 by then [[Chief of Naval Staff (India)]], [[Admiral Devendra Kumar Joshi]]

As of 2014 preparations have begun to deploy and permanently base a full squadron of [[Mikoyan MiG-29]] 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 [[Vizayanagaram]]

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 acres, the INS Dega will be spread out to over 1500 acres.
A parallel taxi track at the base is also in the offing which will cut down the runway occupancy time.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/navy-look-east-for-lethal-mig29k-vishakapatnam-china/1/378850.html|title = EXCLUSIVE: Navy initiates 'Look East' for lethal MiG29K}}</ref>

== Incidents ==
On June 2, 2010, a [[Aérospatiale Alouette III|HAL Chetak]] with four personnel crashed into [[Sarada River]] after clipping high tension wires.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Accident HAL Chetak (SA 316B Alouette III) IN468, Wednesday 2 June 2010 |url=https://asn.flightsafety.org/wikibase/74624 |access-date=2024-08-10 |website=asn.flightsafety.org}}</ref> Fishermen were the first responders who helped remove the pilots seat belt and rescued the injured. One officer died while three were injured.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2010-06-02 |title=Naval officer killed as chopper falls into river |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/Naval-officer-killed-as-chopper-falls-into-river/article16240465.ece |access-date=2024-08-10 |work=The Hindu |language=en-IN |issn=0971-751X}}</ref>

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.<ref>{{Cite web |last=archive |first=From our online |date=2012-05-16 |title=Navy UAV crashes in hill at Vizag |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/andhra-pradesh/2012/Feb/17/navy-uav-crashes-in-hill-at-vizag-340987.html |access-date=2024-08-10 |website=The New Indian Express |language=en}}</ref>

==See also==
; Indian navy 
* [[List of Indian Navy bases]]
* [[List of active Indian Navy ships]]

; Integrated commands and units
* [[Armed Forces Special Operations Division]]
* [[Defence Cyber Agency]]
* [[Integrated Defence Staff]]
* [[Integrated Space Cell]]
* [[Nuclear Command Authority (India)|Indian Nuclear Command Authority]]
* [[Indian Armed Forces]]
* [[Special Forces of India]]

; Other lists
* [[Strategic Forces Command]]
* [[List of Indian Air Force stations]]
* [[List of Indian Navy bases]]
* [[List of countries with overseas military bases#India|India's overseas military bases]]

==References==
<references />

{{Airports in India}}
{{Indian Navy}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:INS Dega}}
[[Category:Indian Naval Air Stations|Dega]]
[[Category:Indian Navy bases|Dega]]
[[Category:Airports in Andhra Pradesh]]
[[Category:Economy of Visakhapatnam]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Visakhapatnam]]
[[Category:Transport in Visakhapatnam]]
[[Category:1970s establishments in Andhra Pradesh]]