View source for INAS 343

{{More citations needed|date=May 2011}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=January 2020}}
{{Infobox military unit
| unit_name = INAS 343
| image =
| image_size =
| caption = INAS 343 Insignia
| dates = {{dts|format=dmy|2011|01|17}} - Present
| country = {{flag|India}}
| branch = {{navy|India}}
| type = [[Naval aviation]] [[Squadron (aviation)|Squadron]]
| role = [[Surveillance aircraft|Reconnaissance]]
| size =
| command_structure = [[Western Naval Command]]
| garrison = [[Porbandar Airport#Naval Air Enclave|Naval Air Enclave, Porbandar]]
| garrison_label =
| nickname = ''Frontier Formidables''<ref>[http://indiannavy.nic.in/PRel_110117_UAV343Sqn-Porbander.pdf UAV Squadron Commissioned at Porbandar] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110206055559/http://indiannavy.nic.in/PRel_110117_UAV343Sqn-Porbander.pdf |date=6 February 2011 }} ''[[Indian Navy]]Press Release''</ref>
| patron =
| motto =
| anniversaries =
<!-- Commanders -->
| current_commander =
| commander1 =
| commander1_label =
| notable_commanders =
<!-- Aircraft -->
| aircraft_recon = [[IAI Heron]]<br>[[IAI Searcher|IAI Searcher Mk.II]]
}}
'''INAS 343''' (Indian Naval Air Squadron 343) is an aviation squadron of the [[Indian Navy]], operating [[IAI Heron]] and [[IAI Searcher]] MkII [[UAV]]s based at [[Porbandar Airport|Porbandar]]. It is the second squadron in the navy dedicated to operating UAVs after [[INAS 342]] at [[INS Garuda|Kochi]]. The squadron was raised in 2011. The squadron is tasked with patrolling Northern [[Arabian Sea]].<ref name="toi-inas">{{cite news |date=18 January 2011 |title=Eye in the sky to guard Gujarat coast |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/Eye-in-the-sky-to-guard-Gujarat-coast/articleshow/7308504.cms |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121104115844/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-01-18/ahmedabad/28352057_1_uav-squadron-unmanned-aerial-vehicle-squadron-western-coast |archive-date=4 November 2012 |access-date=3 July 2013 |work=[[The Times of India]]}}</ref>
The Searcher is a third-generation UAV. Heron is the bigger version of Searcher MKII and has a wingspan of about 16 metres. The Searcher carries a modern and sophisticated [[electro optic]] [[camera]] and a communication intelligence payload. Heron is equipped with a [[sea|maritime]] patrol [[radar]]. Both the UAVs have long endurance capabilities, can operate before and after [[sunset]] and beam real time live pictures of maritime targets. The Searcher MkII has a cruise speed of about 100 knots, a service ceiling of 20,000 feet and an 18-hour
endurance. The Heron can touch speeds of over 100 knots with a service
ceiling of 30,000 feet and an endurance of 40 hours.
<!-- Deleted image removed: [[File:18uav4.jpg|thumb|200px|left|A MKII UAV ready to take off]] -->
==References==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
*http://www.rediff.com/news/slide-show/slide-show-1-indias-second-uav-squadron-commissioned/20110118.htm
{{Indian Navy}}
[[Category:Aircraft squadrons of the Indian Navy]]
[[Category:Military units and formations established in 2011]]