Defence Correspondence Course-07

INS DRONACHARYA TO BE AFFILIATED TO ARMY ARTILLERY SCHOOL

C.F.DILEEPKUMAR

INS Dronacharya, the premier Gunnery and Missile weapons training establishment of the Navy, is all set to be affiliated to the School of Artillery of the Indian Army at Deolali( Nashik). The affiliation ceremony parade scheduled on 16th August would be jointly reviewed by Vice Admiral Sunil K Damle, Flag Officer Commanding in Chief Southern Naval Command and Lt Gen PK Singh, the Colonel Commandant of the Corp of Artillery.

The affiliation of Indian Naval units and the regiments of the Indian Army is a time honoured tradition that cements the spirit of jointmanship between the two professional forces. The close interaction that such affiliation initiates, serves to maximize the combat potential of the Indian Armed Forces at the time of reckoning. Previous instances of such affiliations between units of the Army and the Navy include the affiliation between the JAK LI regiment with INS Ganga, Maratha Light Infantry with INS Mumbai and more recently the Grenadiers with INS Beas.

INS Dronacharya provides broad based and integrated training, in functions and responsibilities of Gunnery Officers and Sailors of the Indian Navy, and Coast Guard. The school achieves this through hands on practical exposure on live equipment, simulators and emulators. The School of Artillery of the Indian Army is a prestigious institution with a great legacy, having been established in the pre independence era. The institution serves as the seat of learning for all aspects of artillery warfare of the Indian army.

The affiliation between the two units is expected to benefit the two institutions through sharing of new operational concepts, training methodology, infrastructure and faculty. The event would also promote bonding between the two professions of arms and enhance the interaction between the Officers and Men of both the services at different levels. The area of professional interaction would primarily focus on Air Defence, Naval GunFire Support and Amphibious Operations in addition to training on small arms and land fighting. Captain Sanjiv Issar, Commanding Officer of INS Dronacharya is leaving no stone unturned in making the event a memorable one.

dileepcf@gmail.com