While the Indian army showed exemplary courage during Kargil war and recaptured all the posts from the enemy, the Indian Air Force (IAF) also played a significant role in supporting the army by softening enemy targets who were sitting up in the mountains with an advantage of height.DNA spoke to Air Marshal (Retd) Narayan Menon who was the Air Officer Commanding (AOC) of the Jammu and Kashmir sector when Kargil operation took place. During the operation, his role extended to controlling six air bases in Jammu and Kashmir. Menon described the role played by the air force during Kargil operation.

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The Indian Army showed exemplary display of courage in winning Kargil War in 1999, but how significant was Indian Air Force's contribution in the war?

Kargil war was the result of personnels from Pakistan Army — the Northern Light Infantry — masquerading as 'civilian infiltrators' attempting to isolate the Siachen Valley from India by cutting off the vital Srinagar-Leh highway and weaken Indian defences in Kashmir by dominating the hills south of the Line of Control (LoC).

The initial information of the intrusions came in the second week of May 1999. The full extent of the intrusions was known much later. The Indian Army moved quickly to get additional troops to the Kargil front. These troops had to be 'acclimatised' as fighting at those altitudes requires the body to be accustomed to the atmosphere. There is no doubt that the soldiers and young officers displayed courage of exceptional order as the war progressed, and there are many stories of individual valour and sacrifice.

Our Army was initially at a disadvantage as they were fighting an enemy entrenched at higher locations. Here the Indian Air Force's attacks on enemy positions was invaluable. The IAF 'softened' up the targets for the Army to advance and recapture these points. The IAF utilised 'precion guided munitions' (PGMs) to attack and decimate some of the hard targets.

How did the Air force prepare itself before going into the battle and when did the Air Force actually go into action in Kargil?

Not a single air force goes into action without some basic defensive measures in place. IAF also took measures to counter any retaliation by the Pakistan Air Force. Air bases in Western and South-Western sectors were put on higher states of alert. Additional fighter squadrons were moved to air bases at Srinagar and Avantipur, as were armed helicopters. Surface-to-Air Missile units were moved in the Valley for airfield defence. Communications were strengthened, and liaison established with the Army units. Target photographs were obtained and attack profiles finalised. Preparations began on the May 8, and IAF went into action on the May 26.

Please explain the difficulty level of the operation in hills of Kargil as compared to terrains in Punjab or Rajasthan?

Aircraft performance to a large extent depends on the density of air. As the altitude increases, air density reduces and performance envelope of the aircraft shrinks. At Leh airfield, which is at 3 km altitude, a fighter aircraft would take a longer distance to take-off and would carry much lesser warload as compared to airfields in Punjab or Rajasthan, which are at near sea-level. The turn radius of fighters increases with altitude, and engine thrust is affected adversely. All these factors contribute to lowering the performance of aircraft at higher altitudes. Indian Air Force was the first one to carry operations and combat at such high altitudes as in the Kargil sector.

What types of aircraft were used during the War, and how was it different compared to war against Pakistan in 1965 and 1971?

The IAF employed MiG-21, MiG-27, and MiG-29 aircraft based at Srinagar and Avantipur during the Kargil war. The MiG-21s and MiG-27s were employed in the strike role while MiG-29s carried out air defence duties. Mi-35 armed helicopters, Mi-17 armed helicopters were employed for strike. The Cheetah and Chetak light helicopters were utilised in the casualty evacuation and supply roles. Throughout the conflict, IL-76 heavy lift aircraft and An-32 medium lift aircraft continued in their supply role. Later the Mirage and Jaguar fighters based at airfields at Gwalior and Ambala carried out successful strike missions with PGMs.During the 1965 war the IAF employed Vampires, Mysteres, Hunters, Gnats, and Canberras. In the 1971 war Su-7 fighter-bombers, MiG-21s, Hunters, and Canberras were employed. The An-12 was also used in the strike role.

What is the significance of the victory in Kargil in today's scenario?

Before Kargil IAF did not have adequate experience in fighter operations at high altitudes. As many of our border/boundary differences with China and Pakistan are in mountainous regions, it is imperative that IAF combat force continue to operate at high altitude airfields so that its aircrew and ground personnel are ready when the occasion demands. Our transport and helicopters have operated at high altitudes over a long period and have enough experience.