Dornier Maritime Surveillance Aircraft

Syllabus: General Studies Paper 2

India handed over a Dornier aircraft to Sri Lanka in the presence of President Ranil Wickremesinghe, reaffirming its security ties with the island nation.

• Security of India and Sri Lanka are enhanced by mutual understanding, mutual trust and cooperation.
• The gifting of the Dornier aircraft to the Sri Lanka Air Force “is of relevance to and a step to meet its requirements for maritime safety and security.
• The capability of the aircraft to undertake search and rescue operations “exemplifies its direct benefit to the people.
• The gift to the people of Sri Lanka will equip the country to contribute more towards the security of the Indian Ocean Region at large.
• The Indian gift was in response to a request from the Sri Lankan government in 2018 for two Dornier Reconnaissance Aircraft to enhance the maritime surveillance capabilities of the island nation.
• Sri Lanka is a member of the ‘Colombo Security Conclave’, that began as a trilateral initiate involving India, Sri Lanka and the Maldives, and later included Mauritius, for maritime cooperation in the region.

Dornier 228

• The Dornier 228 is a general aircraft with twin engines capable of carrying at least 19 passengers.
• With its Short-Take off and Landing (STOL) capability, it is capable of operating on short runways as well as in hot environments.
• The Dornier 228 has been marketed as a general-service aircraft capable of operating in many roles such as military transport, couter aircraft or cargo hauler.

It carries our special missions such as:

• Maritime Surveillance
• Border Patrol
• Medical Evacuations
• Search and Rescue
• Paradrops
• Environmental research

It is fitted with special equipment such as 360-degree surveillance radar, searchlights, operator stations, enlarged fuel tanks, satellite uplink etc.