IL-38 Aircraft

Why in News?

• Recently, Indian Navy’s IL-38 Aircraft will take part in the 74th Republic Day celebrations at the Kartavya Path for the first time and perhaps the last time

Highlights

• It will be among the 50 aircraft including 9 Rafales of the Indian Air Force- will take part in the event.
• IL-38 is a maritime reconnaissance aircraft that was commissioned into the Indian Navy in 1977 and remained a formidable air asset throughout its service life for nearly 44 years.
• It was with the Induction of IL 38 aircraft that the Navy moved into the arena of airborne Long Range Maritime Reconnaissance (LRMR) combined with long range anti-submarine search and strike, anti-shipping strike, electronic signal intelligence and distant SAR.
• The IL 38 is an all-weather aircraft with long endurance and substantial operating range. Having clocked nearly 10,000 hours of operational flying.