He stressed that the IAF has expedited the process to acquire new equipment including advanced line of aircraft, following which they will not be used in a critical role
Indian Air Force chief BS Dhanoa said on Monday the force will continue to use transport aircraft Antonov -32 as there is no replacement at the moment. AN-32 aircraft crashed in a remote location in Arunachal Pradesh earlier this month with 13 personnel onboard.
During the Indian Air Force commemoration of 20 years of the laser-guided bombing at Tiger Hills from Mirage 2000 fighter jets in Kargil war on Monday at Gwalior station, Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa said, "AN-32 aircraft will continue to fly in mountainous areas, we don't have any replacement."
He stressed that the IAF has expedited the process to acquire new equipment including advanced line of aircraft, following which they will not be used in a critical role. It would then become just a routine aircraft that would be used for training.
NO REPLACEMENT
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| Dhanoa revealed that IAF carried out a surgical strike way back in 2002. “Purpose has always been to show our resolve and capability, and the message has been given to the person who is being hit, as that person never returned,” he said. |
On laser-guided bombing at Tiger Hills from Mirage 2000 fighter jets, he said that the integration of targeting pods and laser-guided bomb system for the Mirage 2000 aircraft for the war was done in a record time of 12 days.
Addressing a news conference in Gwalior, he highlighted how Mirage 2000 jets helped to change the tide of the war. "Modification to the Mirage 2000 was in process and expedited, and system was brought in place for the Kargil War,"said the IAF chief adding that the dropping with laser-guided was turning point during Kargil war. He also said deploying Mirage 2000 jets and air support to ground forces turned the tide of the 1999 war.
During the war, the IAF had conducted operation Safed Sagar as a part of operation Vijay of the army. The Mirage-2000 aircraft played a crucial role in the battles fought during the war and also hit enemy targets bunkered in at the Tiger Hill.
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