Cropped Helix over Goa's skies. It is operated by INAS 339.

Taken from a distance, murky skies and heat haze in the air. The smoke, the sound!

Sea Hawk on display at Naval Air Museum Goa. This is one of 74 Sea Hawks that was operated by INAS 300, IN's first carrier-based fighter squadron commissioned on 7 July 1960 by Smt. Vijaya Laxmi Pandit. Embarked for the first time on INS Vikrant in 1961, Sea Hawks stayed on till 1978. During the 1971 Indo-Pak War, "White Tigers" wreaked havoc on Pakistani installations at Cox's Bazaar and Chittagong.

On display at Naval Air Museum Goa. This aircraft was one of 28 1049Es built, later converted to a 1049G that served Air India as VT-DHM "Rani of Ellora." The conversion allowed for 609gal wingtip tanks to be fitted. It went to the IAF as BG575 along with eight other Air India Connies. Later it was one of five transferred from No. 6 Sqn "Dragons" to the IN for maritime reconnaissance in 1976 to form IN312 "Albatross" as the Navy's then largest aircraft. When retired in 1983, they were the last Connies in the world in military service.

On display at Naval Air Museum Goa without its undercarriage. Alouette IIIs were ordered by the Indian Navy in 1962 but were requisitioned by the IAF during the Sino-Indian War. The Navy received its Alouette IIIs in 1964 and these formed a flight aboard INS Vikrant. Later, INAS 321 "Angels" was formed in 1969. Its Chetaks have been detached for SAR and liaison duties to ships and stations as required. A Chetak flight also served in Antarctica.

On display at Naval Air Museum Goa. This Alizé was flown by INAS 310 "Cobras", commissioned at Hyéres by Amb. Nawab Ali Yavar Jung on 21 Mar 61 as IN's first ship-borne ASW/MR unit. The Alizé took part in Goa, the 1965 & 1971 Indo-Pak Wars, Op Pawan and Cactus. Flying off INS Vikrant in 1971 with INAS 300, Alizés dominated the coast and rivers of East Pakistan from Khulna to Cox's Bazar by sinking enemy shipping, destroying harbours, runways and flying ASW and recce missions. The Cobras won six Vir Chakras, six Nao Sena Medals and three Mentions in Despatches.

Preserved at the Indian Naval Aviation Museum, Goa from 2003.

Departing Goa in grey monsoon weather.

On static display for the award of President's Color to Naval Aviation. Once Harrier had been selected for the carrier, IN pilots led by Cdr A. Prakash VrC went to RAF Wittering in 1982 for the basic course on the T Mk.4. By 1983, INAS 300 "White Tigers" was operational on Sea Harrier Mk.51s along with a T Mk.60. More Harriers were inducted, with training done by INAS 551 B-Flight, later INAS 552. Replacement T Mk.4(I) trainers were ex-RAF, this being ZB602. IN's Harriers were decommissioned in 2016.

P-8I of INAS 312 "Albatross" in the hands of LCdr Saurabh Kumar flies past Shri Ram Nath Kovind, President of India and Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces at the President's Colors to Naval Aviation ceremony. The grey monsoon skies of Goa is just another day for this LRMR/ASW unit that ranges far and wide. INAS 312 formerly flew the mighty Tu-142M from INS Rajali.

There's nothing quite like music to the ears of the four Ivchenko AI-20M turboprops as this Sea Dragon from INAS 315 "Winged Stallions" comes in low over INS Hansa in the hands of Senior Pilot Cdr PK Sharma in the run-up to the President's Colors to Naval Aviation ceremony. The chin mounted Lanner-A (NV5-0101) EO pod gets a good look to starboard. The typically grey Goa monsoon weather exemplifies the conditions in which the airborne MR assets of the Indian Navy fly daily to guard the vast coastline.

Cdr Ankur Jain flies in INS Hansa's drab monsoon skies with tailhook extended in the run-up to the President's Color to Naval Aviation ceremony. The checkerboard fiducials are visible all over NP-1, which looks better than the single-seat NP-2. LCA (Navy) achieved an important milestone for India's indigenously built fighter when Cmde Jaideep Maolankar "Mao" trapped NP-2 successfully aboard R33 INS Vikramaditya on 11 Jan 2020. The program is headed towards the Twin Engine Deck Based Fighter (TEDBF).

Leaping into the air, this KUB of INAS 300 "White Tigers" climbs into Goa's dull monsoon skies during the award of President's Color to Naval Aviation. IN's Naval Air Arm completes 68 years of yeoman service in 2021 since the inception of the Fleet Requirement Unit (FRU) on 11 March 1953. "White Tigers" is the longest serving combat unit of the Indian Navy and one of its premier fighter squadrons. INAS 300 currently serves as the OCU for INAS 303. Both squadron emblems are visible on the aircraft.

Powered by a pair of Shakti (Safran Ardiden 1H1) engines with 12% higher power than the TM-333-2B2 on the ALH Mk. I and II, the Indian Navy's newest helicopter comes equipped with a full glass cockpit, EO pod, sensors, TrakkaBeam A800 high intensity searchlight and automatic deployable emergency locator transmitter (ADELT). It can be equipped with a Medical Intensive Care Unit (MICU). The type equips recently commissioned INAS 323 "Harriers", tasked with SAR, Special Operations and Coastal Surveillance.

On display at Naval Air Museum Goa with the emblem of INAS 300 "White Tigers", which received its first Sea Harrier in 1983. INAS 551B took on the Sea Harrier Operational Flying Training Unit (SHOFTU) role, which passed to INAS 552 "Braves" in 2005, both squadrons flying this type and the T Mk.60 trainer. IN's Sea Harriers could carry the BAe Sea Eagle ASM and Matra R.550 Magic-II AAM. The last Sea Harriers were deinducted in 2016.