Visakhapatnam: The Eastern Naval Command will celebrate Navy Day on December 4 with an operational demonstration of ships and aircraft at RK Beach. On this day in 1971, the Navy’s missile boats carried out a deadly attack on the Karachi Harbour during the Indo-Pakistan war. Civil aviation minister P. Ashok Gajapathi Raju will be the chief guest at this year’s Navy Day celebrations.

The Navy Day activities would start with paying homage to service personnel who made the supreme sacrifice in the 1971 war. ENC Com-mander-in-Chief Vice-Admiral H.C.S. Bisht will lay a wreath at the war memorial on the RK Beach. This will be followed by the operational display in the evening showcasing the capability and versatility of the Navy’s ships, aircraft and special forces.

Vizagites can view the manoeuvres by destroyers, corvettes, fast attack craft and landing ships, beach assault by Marine Commandos, sky diving, close range anti-aircraft firing, band performance, formation anchoring and a host of other exercises. A total of 24 ships and 17 naval aircraft are scheduled to take part in this operational demonstration. This would be followed by an ‘At Home' at the Navy House, the residence of Vice-Admiral Bisht. Rehearsal for operational demonstration would be conducted on November 30 and full dress rehearsal is scheduled for December 2. Entry to wi-tness the rehearsals and final day event is free.