How to tackle a rogue aircraft or chopper planning to strike at any vital installation in Delhi is one of the biggest challenges intelligence agencies are facing.
NEW DELHI: How to tackle a rogue aircraft or chopper planning to strike at PM house or any vital installation in Delhi is one of the biggest challenges security and intelligence agencies are facing.
Top government officials including the Indian Air Force are racking their brains to find out how to bring down a rouge aircraft before it strikes any vital installations in the Capital. Parliament, Rashtrapati Bhawan, PM’s residence and the US embassy are on
the hit-list of terror organisations.
Intelligence agencies recently issued an alert stating that a chopper or an aircraft might be used to carry out a 9/11 type of attack on vital installations. Incidentally, the air space over several vital installations is a no-fly zone. All aircraft entering Delhi have to avoid the prohibited air space while approaching the IGI airport.
Recently, at a high-level meeting, attended by top government officials and officers of
IAF, CISF, BSF, BCAS and NSG discussed strategies to deal with rogue aircraft and chopper.
Explaining the problem in tackling rogues aircraft or chopper in Delhi airspace, sources told DNA that an aircraft after taking off from Delhi airport or flying into Delhi air space, takes 4 to 15 seconds to change course from its flight path near airport and stray into the no-fly zone. So there is not much response time left. To plan out an air strike on rogue chopper or aircraft, the IAF needs 15 minutes to complete formalities.
“To declare an aircraft as rogue and take counter strike, there is a long process. The final order comes from the prime minister. And all this can’t be done in seconds. Even to take missile action it needs over 15 minutes to configure and then orient and then strike,” the official said.
India’s total airspace is about 10.5 lakh square nautical miles and its 60% is under military control and the remaining is for civil use. Sources said the civil aircraft follows the high altitude air routes. It needs coordination with the air traffic control for flying. But choppers don’t need such elaborate and regular assistance.
“Any deviation by aircraft is recorded by radars and the pilot is told to correct path to avoid straying. But in case of chopper, it is difficult to track or establish contact because after taking off, it is required to follow low-altitude flying rules,” the official said.
The chances of a chopper being used for strike are higher because it flies over 1,000 meter high. A case of airspace intrusion was reported last on October 23 when a Pawan Hans chopper strayed into the restricted zone and flew over parliament and PM’s house before correcting its path. The pilot of the chopper has been given clean chit but IB is still probing the intrusion.
“The civil aircraft are always on the radar but small choppers can be dangerous,” said a senior official who attended the meeting.
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