- An aircraft designed for long-range maritime reconnaissance is the Ilyushin-38 Sea Dragon.
- This reconnaissance aircraft was withdrawn by the Indian Navy recently.
- It has 46 years of service with the Indian Navy.
- In 1977, Ilyushin-38 Sea Dragon was admitted to the Navy.
- It was employed in anti-submarine and long-range maritime warfare.
- The decommissioning ceremony took place at Dabolim, Goa, at INS Hansa.
- Naval Chief Admiral R. Washari Kumar was the ceremony’s main guest.
- Naval Squadron INAS 315 was awarded the Ilyushin-38 Sea Dragon.
- This was the aircraft’s first and last fly-past during Republic Day.
- The Indian inventory’s earliest maritime surveillance aircraft was the IL-38.
- The American P-8I reconnaissance aircraft has progressively superseded this aircraft.
