NAS Shibpur

Coordinates: 13°14′17″N 93°03′00″E / 13.237982°N 93.049944°E / 13.237982; 93.049944

NAS Shibpur (IATA: IN 0053, ICAO: VODX) is an Indian naval air station under the joint-services Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC) of the Indian Armed Forces. It is located at Shibpur, a village located on North Andaman Island.^[3][4]

History

NAS Shibpur was established in 2001 as a Forward Operating Air Base (FOAB) for enhanced surveillance in North Andaman. Presently, Dornier Do 228 aircraft and HAL Chetak helicopters of the navy and the Indian Coast Guard land at Shibpur once in a week, on their transit for surveillance of North Andaman Islands. In addition, the Indian Air Force operates its Dornier aircraft between Port Blair and Diglipur every Thursday for courier duties. In 2009, the government of India accorded sanction to commission NAS Shibpur as a full-fledged air station.^[5] The length of the runway is being extended to 12,000 ft and will enable day and night operations.^[6]

Dornier Do 228s of the navy and coast guard conducted search for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 from this base.^[7]

References

Naval establishments of India
Western Naval Command	INS Dwarka INS Sardar Patel INS Kadamba INS Vajrakosh INHS Patanjali INS Gomantak INS Hansa INHS Jeevanti INS Angre INS Abhimanyu INS Agnibahu INHS Asvini INS Kunjai INS Shikra INS Tanaji INS Trata INS Tunir INS Vajrabahu
Southern Naval Command	INS Dweeprakshak INS Minicoy INS Androth INS Bitra** INS Garuda INHS Sanjivani INS Venduruthy INS Droncharya INS Chikla INHS Nivrani INS Mandovi INS Hamla INS Shivaji INHS Kasturi INS Valsura INS Rajali INS Agrani INS Zamorin INS Satavahana INS Vishwakarma
Eastern Naval Command	INS Circars INS Dega INS Virbahu INHS Kalyani INS Kalinga INS Eksila INS Karna INS Adyar INS Parundu INS Kattabomman INS Tuticorin INS Netaji Subhash INS Paradip** INS Bhubaneswar** INS Varsha**
Andaman and Nicobar Command	INS Kardip INS Jarawa INS Utkrosh INS Baaz INS Campbell Bay INS Shibpur
(**Under construction)