Visit Indian Travel Sites
Goa,
Kerala,
Tamil Nadu,
Andhra Pradesh,
Delhi,
Rajasthan,
Uttar Pradesh,
Himachal Pradesh,
Assam,
Sikkim,
Madhya Pradesh,
Jammu & Kashmir
Karnataka
|
To minimise reaction time, India to station all MiG 29s along Pak border |
To beef up air defence capabilities and react in quickest possible time along the international
border with Pakistan, the Indian Air Force has decided to station all its MiG
29 squadrons at Adampur, the second largest Air Force base in the country. The
Adampur Air Force station, which is also known as home of MiG 29s, already has
two frontline fighter squadrons and will see another squadron moving from Jamnagar
in Gujarat soon. "We consider ourselves to be a strategic air power establishment
of the IAF in the western sector, ever ready for operations. We are fully geared
up to operate in any given time frame like any other Air Force stations of the
country," said Air Commodore HS Arora, Air Officer Commanding of the Adampur air
base. To extend the service life of MiG 29 by 25 to 40 years, the RAC MiG aircraft
corporation signed a contract with the Ministry of Defence to upgrade over 60
fighters in service with the IAF since the 1980s. "We are looking forward to induct
upgraded Mig 29s which will happen sometime next year. The Ministry of Defence
and Air headquarters is monitoring it," Air Commodore Arora said. He said six
MiG-29 fighters are being upgraded and flight-tested in Russia and the remaining
aircraft will be overhauled in India with the aid of Russian experts, and added
that IAF pilots and technicians are already undergoing training there. "The upgraded
MiG 29 fighters will have better radar systems and avionics to help fighters,
a new weapon control system, modernised RD-33 engines, which would increase the
aircraft hitting capability from long ranges," Air Commodore Arora added. The
first batch of upgraded fighters will arrive in the second half of 2010 and Russia
will complete the upgradation of 60 MiG-29 fighters by 2013. The Indian Air Force,
which turns 77 this year, in order to become a strategic force in the world, has
been going under modernisation in a big way. The IAF this year inducted one Airborne
Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft, and two more will come on line in
2010 to strengthen the Air Force's capability to see beyond enemy lines. In addition,
the IAF is acquiring three midair refuelers, six C-130 transport aircraft, 80
medium-lift helicopters, Spyder air defense systems, medium power radars and low-level
transportable radar. The IAF is also upgrading six airstrips in Arunachal Pradesh
to rapidly deploy troops and jointly developing with Russia fifth generation fighter
aircrafts. |
|
|
|
|
|