Watch: Maiden Test Drop Of Made-In-India Search And Rescue Kit From Navy's Boeing P-8I Long Range Patrol Aircraft

The Indian Navy has successfully tested a Made-in-India search and rescue kit (SARK) from the Boeing P-8I long-range patrol aircraft.

"The SAR kit gives the Indian Navy the capability to undertake search and rescue operations from long ranges off the coast and strengthens India's position as a Preferred Security Partner in the Indian Ocean Region," the Indian Navy's Western Naval Command said in a post on X.

The SAR kit has been developed by Agra-based Defence Research and Development Organisation's laboratory — Aerial Delivery Research and Development Establishment.

The test flight was conducted by the Indian Navy's INS Hansa-based INAS 316 squadron on Independence Day (15 August).

According to the Indian Navy, the SAR kit has the capacity to support eight people for up to 15 days and can be deployed at Sea State 3.

Manufactured by the US company Boeing, the P-8I Neptune is a long-range patrol aircraft used by the Indian Navy.

These aircraft are capable of performing anti-submarine warfare (ASW), anti-surface warfare, and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions.

The Indian Navy purchased these aircraft in 2009 in a deal worth $2.1 billion from the United States. The first aircraft was delivered in 2013.

In 2016, the Navy acquired another four aircraft, the last of which were delivered to the Navy by the end of 2021.

The P-8Is have served as the workhorse of the Indian Navy for maritime surveillance, humanitarian operations, and ASW missions.

In fact, the first squadron of P-8I, 'INAS 312', based at INS Rajali located in Arakkonam, Chennai, has accumulated more than 40,000 hours of incident-free flying over the last decade.

The Navy is highly impressed by the performance of the P-8Is. This is evident from the fact that the Navy intends to acquire six additional P-8Is, to augment its fleet of twelve aircraft.

These aircraft were also employed by the Indian Army for monitoring Chinese deployment along the Line of Actual Control during stand-offs in Ladakh and Doklam.

The P-8Is were also utilised to keep an eye on the movement of Pakistani troops after the Pulwama terror attack.