INDIA. Mumbai: On Saturday, Rear Admiral Vikram Menon took over as Flag Officer Commanding, Goa Area (FOGA) and Flag Officer Naval Aviation (FONA) after Rear Admiral Philipose G Pynumootil retired on superannuation after a 36-year service.
Before becoming FOGA, Rear Admiral Vikram Menon served at Naval Headquarters as Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (Air). As the FONA, he will be in charge of overseeing the induction of the Sikorsky MH-60R Seahawk helicopters and developing the Navy’s twin-engine, deck-based fighter.
After graduating from the National Defense Academy and the Naval War College, Rear Admiral Menon was commissioned into the Indian Navy on January 1, 1990.
“An experienced fighter pilot and Qualified Flying Instructor with over 2000 hours of flying experience, he has flown the Sea Harrier aircraft extensively from INS Viraat,” an official statement said.
He also commanded the Indian Naval Air Squadrons and served as the Senior Pilot of the Indian Naval Air Squadrons (INAS 300) and (INAS 552). While commanding INS Hansa, the Indian Navy’s primary air station, he received the Vishist Seva Medal in 2018. His afloat assignments include command of the INS Tillanchang Fast Attack Craft, the INS Sharda Offshore Patrol Vessel, and the INS Shakti Fleet Tanker.
He was also the Executive Officer of the INS Ranvijay, a guided-missile destroyer. His Staff appointments include the Director of Aircraft Acquisition at Naval Headquarters and Chief Staff Officer (Air) at Headquarters Naval Aviation.
While working as the Director of Aircraft Acquisition for the Indian Navy, Pynumootil oversaw the induction of eight Boeing –P 81 long-range maritime surveillance aircraft, 45 Russian MiG 19 K fighter planes, and seventeen Hawk aircraft.
The Navy raised two squadrons during his time as a FONA, both based at INS Hansa Goa. Following the ceremonial handover of the charge to Menon, he was accorded a formal send-off at INS Gomantak during a pulling-out ceremony.
The Naval Goa area covers INS Hansa, India’s most extensive Naval base located at Dabolim. INS Gomantak is located at Vasco-da-Gama city; as the base depot ship, INS Gomantak provides administrative and logistic support to Headquarters and units of Goa Naval Area and visiting ships. INHS Jeevanti, a Naval hospital, is also located at Vasco-da-Gama. Similarly, INS Mandovi, the base depot, is located at Verem in Goa.
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