The Indian Navy has officially retired its Westland Sea King Mk.42B helicopter fleet and disbanded Naval Air Squadron INAS 330 “Harpoons”, marking the end of more than five decades of maritime aviation service.
The Sea King fleet is being phased out and replaced primarily by the Sikorsky MH-60R Seahawk, a modern multirole naval helicopter. India cleared the procurement of 24 MH-60R aircraft in 2020 under a $2.4 billion deal to strengthen its anti-submarine warfare and fleet support capabilities.
Looking ahead, the Navy’s long-term rotary-wing requirements are expected to be addressed by the indigenous Indian Multi-Role Helicopter (IMRH) programme. Developed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in Bengaluru, the platform will also include a navalised variant known as the Deck-Based Multi-Role Helicopter (DBMRH), designed for carrier operations and multi-mission roles.
The Sea King Mk.42B variant, customised by British manufacturer GKN Westland for Indian operational needs, had been a key asset in expanding India’s maritime reach across the Indian Ocean Region. The helicopters were inducted between 1971 and 1986, originally strengthening anti-submarine warfare and naval aviation capabilities.
Over time, advancements in submarine stealth technology, modern anti-ship weapon systems, and sensor limitations reduced the operational effectiveness of the ageing platform. Combined with airframe fatigue and spare parts shortages, continued service became increasingly challenging.
Despite these constraints, the Sea King Mk.42B helicopters remained actively deployed in roles such as exclusive economic zone surveillance, fleet reconnaissance, search and rescue operations, maritime domain awareness, and carrier-based missions. The earlier Mk.42 variants also played a notable role during the 1971 Indo-Pakistan war, carrying out anti-submarine patrols.
Of the remaining 17 Mk.42B helicopters, four were converted for utility and support roles after removal of mission-specific systems. Three aircraft are expected to be retained as test and evaluation platforms for research and development. The rest will serve as sources of spare parts to support the remaining Mk.42C helicopters operating with INAS 350 “Saaras”.
The retirement of the Sea King fleet and disbandment of INAS 330 reflects the Navy’s broader modernization push, as it transitions toward newer, more capable platforms designed for modern maritime warfare and evolving undersea threats.
