Marine commandos set to display their skills

By Our Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD, SEPT. 15. In a breathtaking naval display, members of the elite marine commando force presented their daring exploits over the otherwise placid waters of the Hussainsagar lake on Friday evening. In a full dress rehearsal of the event scheduled for Sunday, the Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam, deployed four choppers and two Gemini boats today.

A rumbling Sea King, a versatile maritime reconnaissance chopper, swooped over two drifting Gemini boats. Using a rope, the commandos slithered down even as unsuspecting but awestuck viewers flocked along the Necklace Road. They came down, one after another, gliding down the rope and in a perfect landing, slid down into the swaying boats. Once the landing was over, the boats scampered for the shores.

The mock operations, being held for the first time in the city, also had three Chetak choppers along with the Sea King darting along the Buddha statue and flying past the stage being erected on the Necklace road for the show on Sunday.

"The MarCos (Marine Commandos) belong to the elite force of Indian Navy and are trained for operations involving stealth," an official said. MarCos, many of whom were actively involved in Kargil operation, are proficient in identifying and neutralising underwater mines and also targeting enemy ships.

The feats that MarCos to be presented on Sunday include the use of underwater scooters and also the compass attack. "The commandos go underwater, place mines to the ship and return. This operation need high skill and complete stealth," says a naval officer. Their breathing apparatus are made in such a fashion that the oxygen is recycled and is not left out in the water. "This is done to prevent the bubbles surfacing, which could be an easy give away," he said.

The Co-ordinator of the display, Commander. C.V. Ratnakar, described the MarCos as highly trained and remarkably efficient force on the lines of American Navy SEAL. "Our boys had also received training in the USA and Singapore," he said.

The peace time operations of these commandos include Rescue And Search (RAS) operations in times of calamities such as floods and earthquakes.

The Gemini boats, being displayed for the first time in city, are highly sophisticated ones. "They are inflatable and can be launched from either a ship, a chopper or a sub-marine. Propelled by a motor, it is used for beach landings, surprise attacks and shifting the commandos from one ship to another," officials explained.

The Naval display on Sunday , which is to be witnessed by the Chief Minister, Mr. N. Chandrababu Naidu, would involve four choppers, 10 pilots and 20 MarCos. Being organised by the Eastern Naval Command in association with the Department of Tourism and the Defence Machinery Design Establishment, the Naval Display would also have a presentation by the ENC Band.

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