Defence Secretary Giridhar Aramane inaugurated the Ashok Roy Training Simulator Complex at the Indian naval air station, INS Rajali, in Arakkonam on Tuesday.
As per a press release, the need for a state-of-the-art simulator has been felt, in order to ensure that men and women operating advanced aircrafts are adequately trained to undertake various operational missions. As a result, the Indian Navy had signed a turnkey project in 2018, for the building of a simulator complex, with on-site Air Mobility Command (AMC), for a decade. The project is only the fourth of its kind in the world along with those in the United States, United Kingodm and Australia, and is the first in Asia.
The complex houses a state-of-the-art simulator for the training requirements of P8I aircrew and a technical team, aimed towards the safe operation and maintenance of the aircraft. It also contributes towards improved training standards, and reducing training requirements on actual aircraft, thereby ensuring higher availability of aircraft for operational missions, as per the press release.
The aircrew can practice for emergencies such as engine failure and fires, rapid decompression, and reject take-off, since these can be easily simulated at the facility, in order to hone their flying skills. The simulator also provides first-hand experience to the technical team to practice routine and special maintenance procedures with 3-D software solutions, including armament loading and unloading, as the facility is equipped with a to-scale model of aircraft wings, and mock-ups of missiles and torpedos.
The new facility was named the ‘Ashok Roy Training Simulator Complex’ (ARTSC) to commemorate the distinguished service rendered by Lieutenant Commander Ashok Roy, Vir Chakra (VrC), Nausena Medal (NM), and his gallant actions in the 1971 Indo-Pak war. The officer was in command of a detachment of two anti-submarine and reconnaissance aircraft of the Indian Navy during the war.
Vice Admiral Biswajit Dasgupta, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command, Vice Admiral Sanjay Jasjit Singh, Vice Chief of Naval Staff, and family members of Lt Cdr Ashok Roy were present.
