INS Dega

INS Dega
Summary
Airport typeNaval Air Station and civil enclave
OperatorIndian Navy
LocationVisakhapatnam, India
Elevation AMSL15 ft (4.6 m)
Coordinates17°43′16″N 083°13′28″E / 17.72111°N 83.22444°E / 17.72111; 83.22444
Map
VOVZ is located in Andhra Pradesh
VOVZ
VOVZ
Location within Andhra Pradesh
VOVZ is located in India
VOVZ
VOVZ
Location within India
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
05/23 1,829 6,000 Asphalt
10/28 3,050 10,007 Asphalt
Source: DAFIF

INS Dega (ICAO: VOVZ), is a naval air station of the Indian Navy, located in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. It has a civil enclave which served as Visakhapatnam's main airport from the early 2000s until 16 August 2026, after that, the commercial operations were transferred to the Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport.

History

During the Second World War, an airstrip was constructed in Visakhapatnam for the Royal Air Force. After the war, the air strip remained unused until opening for civil operations in 1962, and regular services were suspended soon after due to poor passenger demand. Indian Navy's helicopter squadron INAS 321 was established at INS Circars in Visakhapatnam on 23 December 1972. In 1976, a helipad and a hangar were constructed adjacent to the airfield. Regular civilian flights also resumed at the airport in the same year. On 12 March 1986, the ownership of the airport was transferred from the National Airports Authority of India (later Airports Authority of India) to the Indian Navy. It was designated as 'Naval Air Station, Visakhapatnam' and additional hangars, maintenance facilities and an operations complex were constructed. The 321 Chetak Flight, along with other shipborne aircraft, was initially based at the air base. On 21 October 1991, the air station was renamed and formally commissioned as INS Dega (meaning an eagle like bird in Telugu).

The airport underwent expansion and modernisation from 2002, including the construction of a new runway and passenger terminal. The new runway was inaugurated on 15 June 2007 and was opened to commercial traffic on 30 March 2008. A new terminal building, built at a cost of ₹950 million (equivalent to ₹2.6 billion or US$27 million in 2026), was inaugurated on 20 February 2009.

The ICAO airport code was changed from VEVZ to VOVZ on 17 November 2011, and night operations began in 2012. In 2013, the Indian Navy considered establishing a new air base at Badangi, near Vizianagaram, to reduce the increasing air traffic at INS Dega. However, in July 2014, the Ministry of Defence sanctioned ₹4.5 billion (US$47 million) for technical support and infrastructure development at the air base. The expansion plan proposed increasing the base from 1,100 to 1,500 acres (450 to 610 ha). A parallel taxiway was also planned to reduce runway occupancy time. In October 2014, the airport suffered extensive damage from cyclone Hudhud and subsequently underwent significant reconstruction.

In 2022, the Government of Andhra Pradesh and Indian Navy agreed to gradually shift civilian operations to the planned Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport at Bhogapuram. Under the agreement, about 170 acres (69 ha) of the airport would remain under Navy control, while the remaining area would be managed by the Airport Authority of India (AAI) for civilian operations. In 2023, AAI proposed a new terminal costing ₹2.4 billion (US$25 million), along with four additional parking bays and a new apron. Commercial operations were transferred to Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport on 17 August 2026 with the airport's IATA code, VTZ, also transferred to the new airport on the same date. The airport continues to operate for non-scheduled civilian flights.

Facilities

Civilian passenger terminal at the airport

INS Dega covers 350.31 acres (141.77 ha), of which 276.89 acres (112.05 ha) are in use. It has one, 10/28, measuring 3,050 m × 45 m (10,007 ft × 148 ft), equipped with CAT-1 Instrument landing system and night landing facilities. The older runway, 05/23, measuring 1,829 m × 45 m (6,001 ft × 148 ft), is no longer operational and is used by the Navy for aircraft parking. The airfield has three taxiways (N3 to N5). There are 16 aircraft parking bays across two aprons, including three with jet bridges. There are also three remote bays, three cargo-aircraft bays, and isolated bays for military aircraft.

The passenger terminal had an annual capacity of 2.74 million passengers. The domestic terminal covered 19,800 m2 (213,000 sq ft), and the international departure and arrival terminals occupied 5,723 m2 (61,600 sq ft) and 5,429 m2 (58,440 sq ft) of built up area. At peak times, the terminal can handle 400 domestic and 300 international passengers. The terminal had 20 check-in counters, 12 immigration counters, 14 customs counters, three baggage conveyors, and seven X-ray scanners.

Units

As of 2015, INS Dega housed about 40 aircraft across five squadrons/flights and four ship-borne flights. A new squadron, INAS 324, was commissioned on 4 July 2022.

Aircraft squadrons
Squadron Nickname Date activated Aircraft Image
INAS 333 Eagles 1 October 2000 Kamov Ka-28
INAS 311 Kites 24 March 2009 Dornier 228
INAS 350 Harpoons 24 March 2009 Westland Sea King 42C
INAS 551 Phantoms 1 January 2014 BAE Hawk Mk 132
INAS 324 Kestrels 4 July 2022 HAL Dhruv Mk.III MR

The air station also houses an unknown number of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles. In 2014, the Indian Navy planned to base a squadron of 17 Mikoyan MiG-29K/KUB fighter aircraft at INS Dega to strengthen the security of India's eastern seaboard. Following the transfer of regular commercial operations in August 2026, INS Dega is planned to host a squadron of 26 Dassault Rafale M fighters associated with INS Vikrant.

Incidents

On 2 June 2010, an Indian Navy HAL Chetak helicopter operating from the air base crashed into Sarada River after hitting high-tension electric wires. Local fishermen rescued the injured crew. One officer died and three were injured.

On 16 February 2012, an Indian Navy IAI Searcher UAV crashed into a hill near Himachal Nagar, Gajuwaka, while returning to the air base after an operation. Navy personnel later recovered its black box.

Statistics

Annual passenger traffic and aircraft movement
Year Passenger traffic Aircraft movement
Passengers Percent change Aircraft movements Percent change
2025-2026 2,967,744[citation needed] 1 0.4 21,799[citation needed] 1 1.8
2024-2025 2,955,089[citation needed] 1 6.0 22,210[citation needed] Increase 10.7
2023-2024 2,788,665[citation needed] 1 11.5 20,071[citation needed] 1 4.25
2022-2023 2,500,654[citation needed] 1 55.3 20,961[citation needed] Increase 40.9
2021-2022 1,610,483[citation needed] -1 44.6 14,878[citation needed] Increase 39.5
2020-2021 1,113,513[citation needed] -1 58.5 10,667[citation needed] Decrease 49
2019-2020 2,681,283[citation needed] -1 6.0 20,935[citation needed] 1 6.9
2018-2019 2,853,390[citation needed] 1 15 23,695[citation needed] 1 20.9
2017-2018 2,480,379[citation needed] 1 5.2 19,595[citation needed] 1 0.2
2016-2017 2,358,029[citation needed] 1 30.7 19,550[citation needed] 116.8
2015-2016 1,804,634[citation needed] 1 26.9 16,739[citation needed] 1 46.3
2014-2015 1,099,480[citation needed] 11,445[citation needed]
Busiest domestic routes from Visakhapatnam Airport (2023–24)
Rank Airport Carriers Departing passengers
1 Hyderabad, Telangana Air India Express, IndiGo 4,19,189
2 Bengaluru, Karnataka Air India Express, IndiGo 2,96,215
3 Delhi Air India, IndiGo 2,34,947
4 Chennai, Tamil Nadu IndiGo 1,29,266
5 Mumbai, Maharashtra Air India, Air India Express, IndiGo 1,26,324
6 Kolkata, West Bengal IndiGo 52,623
7 Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh IndiGo 23,260
8 Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh Air India Express, IndiGo 21,091
9 Port Blair, Andaman and Nicobar Islands Air India, Air India Express, IndiGo 15,397

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ First activation of the squadron at INS Dega

References

  1. ↑ "Naval Air Stations". Indian Navy. Archived from the original on 10 August 2011. Retrieved 18 August 2011.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Visakhapatnam Airport to be Shut for a Week". The New Indian Express. 15 October 2014. Archived from the original on 2 April 2019. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "INS Dega". Indian Navy. Archived from the original on 7 April 2014. Retrieved 5 July 2013.
  4. ↑ "INS Dega". Bharat Rakshak. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  5. ↑ "Vizag airport terminal to be inaugurated on Feb 20". Business Line. Retrieved 23 January 2012.
  6. 1 2 "Vizag airport gets nod to operate 24 x 7". The Times of India. 28 September 2012. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  7. ↑ "ICAO code changed from VEVZ to VOVZ". Aviation Safety. 17 November 2011. Archived from the original on 2 May 2015. Retrieved 1 June 2012.
  8. ↑ "Historic Badangi airstrip to be reactivated by Navy". The Times of India. 7 November 2013. ISSN 0971-8257. Archived from the original on 24 March 2025. Retrieved 18 October 2024.
  9. ↑ "In Andhra Pradesh, Badangi airstrip to be reactivated by Navy". The Times of India. 20 February 2023. ISSN 0971-8257. Archived from the original on 25 July 2025. Retrieved 18 October 2024.
  10. ↑ "Navy initiates 'Look East' for lethal MiG29K". India Today. 25 August 2014. Archived from the original on 21 January 2025. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  11. ↑ "The first phase of the development of Bhogapuram International Greenfield Airport set in motion". Press Information Bureau (Press release). 4 May 2023. Archived from the original on 8 January 2026. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  12. ↑ "Bhogapuram Airport to start soon". Eenadu (in Telugu). 5 September 2022. Archived from the original on 28 September 2022. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
  13. ↑ "Proposal sent for construction of new terminal building with ₹240 crore at Vizag Airport". The Hindu. 19 March 2023. Archived from the original on 23 March 2023. Retrieved 23 March 2023.
  14. ↑ Tripathi, Neha (29 July 2026). "Commercial ops to shift to Bhogapuram from Visakhapatnam Airport on August 17". Hindustan Times. Archived from the original on 29 July 2026. Retrieved 29 July 2026.
  15. ↑ Rao, V. Kamalakara (14 August 2026). "All Visakhapatnam flights move to Bhogapuram from August 17, under code VTZ". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 14 August 2026.
  16. ↑ "Notification" (PDF) (Press release). Ministry Of Civil Aviation. 28 July 2026. Archived (PDF) from the original on 20 August 2026. Retrieved 17 August 2026.
  17. ↑ "Why the Visakhapatnam airport shut and what still flies from INS Dega". The Hindu. 16 August 2026. Retrieved 17 August 2026.
  18. 1 2 3 4 5 Visakhapatnam Airport (PDF). Airports Authority of India (Report). Archived (PDF) from the original on 7 August 2024. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  19. 1 2 3 "Visakhapatnam Airport". Airports Authority of India. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  20. ↑ "Move to Shift INS Dega Dismissed". The New Indian Express. 4 September 2015. Archived from the original on 21 January 2025. Retrieved 18 October 2024.
  21. ↑ "ALH Squadron INAS 324 Commissioned at Visakhapatnam" (Press release). Press Information Bureau. 4 July 2022. Retrieved 26 February 2026.
  22. ↑ "Indian naval squadrons". Indian Navy. Retrieved 1 June 2026.
  23. ↑ "INS Dega: Quintessence of Might and Power". MHS India. Archived from the original on 13 February 2026. Retrieved 1 June 2026.
  24. ↑ Korablinov, Alexander; RIR (26 August 2014). "India to deploy MiG-29s to protect east coast". Russia Beyond. Archived from the original on 21 January 2025. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
  25. ↑ "Eastern Naval Command (ENC) plans to expand INS Dega in Visakhapatnam after Bhogapuram airport in Vizianagaram becomes operational". The Times of India. ISSN 0971-8257. Archived from the original on 3 December 2024. Retrieved 3 December 2024.
  26. ↑ "Accident HAL Chetak (SA 316B Alouette III) IN468, Wednesday 2 June 2010". ASN Flight Safety. Archived from the original on 10 August 2024. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
  27. ↑ "Naval officer killed as chopper falls into river". The Hindu. 2 June 2010. ISSN 0971-751X. Archived from the original on 10 August 2024. Retrieved 10 August 2024.
  28. ↑ "Navy UAV crashes in hill at Vizag". The New Indian Express. 16 May 2012. Archived from the original on 10 August 2024. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
  29. ↑ City pair wise passenger traffic statistics (Report). Directorate General of Civil Aviation. Retrieved 28 March 2025.