IAF sources said that the exercise is aimed at familiarising the combat crew with the procedure to even conduct operations at these busy civilian airports during times of emergencies.
Indian Air Force (IAF) is prepping its team of fighter jets, specifically the Sukhoi Su-30 MKI and Hawk Mk 132 combat aircrafts, to conduct war-time emergency procedures from civilian airports in the country. For this purpose, the IAF is conducting a two-phase exercise at a number of civilian airports in the eastern states of the country, involving a team of these combat aircrafts. The exercise will be conducted at airports in the states of West Bengal (Kolkata and Andal), Assam (Guwahati), Manipur (Imphal) and Arunachal Pradesh (Dimapur and Pasighat).
The exercise will be carried out in two phases, East Air Command spokesperson Wing Commander Ratnakar Singh said. The first phase will be held from October 16 to October 19 of this year, while the second phase will see the jets in action from October 29 to November 1. The exercise is being undertaken as part of capability building up and operational training of undertaking operations from dispersed locations in the eastern part of the country in case of hostilities.
IAF sources said that the exercise is aimed at familiarising the combat crew with the procedure to even conduct operations at these busy civilian airports during times of emergencies. They will need to learn to fly from these busy airports at a moment's notice and also co-ordinate with civilian agencies, who may have little to training in military terminology, in an effective manner. In turn, the civilian functionaries at these six civilian airfields will also gain the knowledge of military operations through this exercise, IAF stated. Currently, there are over 250 Su-30MKIs and 104 Hawk Mk 132s in service with the IAF.
The location of the exercise comes off as interesting. The IAF's interest in the East and the North-East stems from the fact that they need to be prepared against any rising threats from the Chinese side, which has made rapid military progress in the last few decades and lies in close proximity to this region. The IAF has been steadily bolstering its war-waging capabilities in the Northeast with a view to tackling any threat arising from China, which has also been upgrading its defence forces and infrastructure.
While Kolkata, Guwahati and Imphal are well known and connected with several major cities of the country by air, Dimapur, Pasighat and Andal are smaller ports.
Dimapur airport has an interesting history, however. It had had its fair tryst with military operations since it was built during World War II as a military airpad. It now handles civilian air traffic, though. The Pasighat airstrip, too, came into existence during 1962's India-China War. After several decades of disuse, Pasighat airstrip was redeveloped in 2009 and inaugurated in 2016. An IAD Su-30MKI jet had landed on its airstrip during its inauguration.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Kolkata:")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}