IAF operates Su-30s from four civilian airports in Northeast

NEW DELHI: The Indian Air Force (IAF) on Wednesday launched fighter jets from four civilian airports in the country’s east as part of a two-phase training drill to conduct operations from dispersed locations in case of hostilities, an IAF spokesperson said.

The air force will operate its Sukhoi-30 fighters from Dimapur, Imphal, Guwahati and Kolkata in the first leg of the exercise from October 16 to 19, while airports at Pasighat in Arunachal Pradesh and Andal in West Bengal will be covered in the second phase from October 29 to Novermber 1, the spokesperson said.

British-origin Hawk advanced jet trainers will also take part in the exercise being undertaken by the IAF’S Shillong-based Eastern Air Command. “The exercise will familiarise the IAF crew with the procedure of flying from these busy airfields and coordinate with their civilian counterparts. It will also help familiarise the civilian functionaries at these airfields with the conduct of military operations,” the spokesperson said. The IAF has Su-30 bases at Chabua and Tezpur in Assam, while the Hawks are based at Kalaikunda in West Bengal.

“The IAF regularly exercises its fighters and aircrew away from their parent bases. It’s good that such activation is taking place from civilian airfields as their personnel too will get trained to handle frontline offensive operational assets,” said Air Vice Marshal Manmohan Bahadur (retd), additional director general, Centre for Air Power Studies.

The IAF also plans to deploy its new attack choppers and heavylift helicopters in the eastern sector in the near future. The IAF plans to deploy Us-made Apache AH-64E attack helicopters in the eastern sector in two years after a base there is fully ready to support the choppers.