SOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG
A plane spotting enthusiast (vabb_spotter IG) has captured an image of a Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) developed Dornier Do 228 aircraft sporting an unusual feature of a hump on the upper fuselage, aft of the main body.
The presence of the standard under-fuselage 360-degree maritime surveillance radar confirms the aircraft belongs to the Indian Navy. Speculation is rife about the purpose of the hump, with some suggesting it houses a satellite uplink system. This would be particularly useful given the aircraft’s frequent flights over vast stretches of ocean, enabling real-time transfer of observation data collected by its robust sensors.
The Indian Naval Air Arm, the aviation wing of the Indian Navy, utilizes Dornier Do 228s for a variety of missions including maritime surveillance, search and rescue operations, and providing targeting data for other weapon systems. The addition of a satellite uplink system would significantly enhance the Navy’s real-time data-gathering capabilities, particularly in remote maritime regions.
This sighting has piqued the interest of aviation enthusiasts and defence analysts alike, and hopefully, more information about the hump’s purpose will be revealed in the future.
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