India reopens airbase

[Blackpearl]

India reopens airbase -DAWN - Top Stories; June 01, 2008

India reopens airbase

NEW DELHI, May 31: The Indian Air Force (IAF) on Saturday reopened after 43 years the old airbase of Dawaltbaigh Oldi in Ladakh region, north of Leh in occupied Kashmir and close to the Chinese border.

The airbase was built in 1962 during the India-China war and closed in 1965.

“It is part of our efforts to improve air maintenance of far-flung posts in the region bordering China and Pakistan,” reports quoting IAF sources said. The airbase overlooking the Karakoram Pass is eight kilometres south of the Chinese border.—APP

 

[Blackpearl]

Reportedly, this is the world highest airfield,at 16,000 ft.
(IAF returns to Ladakh's highest airfield)

This is really interesting to note.
It seems that our LOC is getting osme attention. We hear incidents of across the border firing, as Indian Army alleged, it is initiated from Pakistan.
Last year, India's own indegeniously developed helicopter, 'Dhruv', has been certified for high altitude operation. This aircraft is in service with Indian Army.

Pakistan'own high altitude helicopter fleet only consistes of vintage allouette/lama fleet. new AS350 are acquired, yet in less quantity.
I can draw two rationale here:
(1) Pakistan require more high altitude helicopters( Preferably 20 plus).
(2) PAF has to permanently place at least one interceptor squadron at Sakardu.

 

[Tiki Tam Tam]

It is for logistic resupply!

 

[fatman17]

It is for logistic resupply!

saw the video report on ARY. it is not a metalled airstrip. it has min. infrastructure but i am sure the IAF will improve it.
worth watching its development. it certainly shortens IA supply time-lines.

 

[Blackpearl]

.............. it certainly shortens IA supply time-lines.

Definitely!

IL-76 can operate till Leh airfield. and from there onwards, men and supplies can be moved/heli-lifted to forward areas.

 

[yarmook]

Mr. Salim,


Do you think we ll believe on you everytime you put statement to defend your bharat. The truth is i have started to look down on your comments as mere effort to create nuisance arguement over every issue here. Am not sure if your sitting 24/7 sponsored by some INdian agency to create misinformation among young Pakistani defense analysts over this forum.
Or your just popping in here on every forum out of no where and putting statements where one can really loose his interest.
Please stop putting statements which are worth not even arguements!!!!

Cheers,

 

[yarmook]

All i see is hot Indian activity near LOC.

I may not be surprised to hear or see Indian AF and Army conducting exercise in this area in near future.

Pakistanis get on your toes time is near!!!
Call on Chinese military analysts to create appropriate counter threats!!!!

 

[AgNoStiC MuSliM]

Mr. Salim,


Do you think we ll believe on you everytime you put statement to defend your bharat. The truth is i have started to look down on your comments as mere effort to create nuisance arguement over every issue here. Am not sure if your sitting 24/7 sponsored by some INdian agency to create misinformation among young Pakistani defense analysts over this forum.
Or your just popping in here on every forum out of no where and putting statements where one can really loose his interest.
Please stop putting statements which are worth not even arguements!!!!

Cheers,

Yarmook.

If you do not believe someones statements, argue them and prove them wrong, instead of insulting someone or denigrating them.

Thanks.

 

[fatman17]

Yarmook.

If you do not believe someones statements, argue them and prove them wrong, instead of insulting someone or denigrating them.

Thanks.

couldnt agree more - salim is a senior member of this forum and he should be respected at all times.

 

[Blackpearl]

Yarmook Ji..
Your remarks are severe, and aggressive too...

Reason given by Salim is quite logical. There in Heights, feeding the troops is the prime mission of aviation assets, as it provides the vertical dimension when land routes are blocked due to heavy snow. Airlift of rations, clothing, fuel, ammunition is then highly depandable on helicopters.

All i see is hot Indian activity near LOC.

I may not be surprised to hear or see Indian AF and Army conducting exercise in this area in near future.
Pakistanis get on your toes time is near!!!
Call on Chinese military analysts to create appropriate counter threats!!!!

Yes, it is concerning. Opening a supply base in the toughest of the terrain, must raise eyebrows in our Army brass. Is India planning something out there. Why India wants speedy supply of rastions, ammunition to troops. It means that India has expanded its capability to logistically support the troops, speedily and effeciently, if something goes wrong. So Our Army logistician must take into account, India's enhanced stamina of war, in Northern areas.

If it is still a logistics/supply base, still it has a direct bearing on the outcome of operations , whenever conducted in future.
(1) Ammunition will be supplied faster to forward posts.
(2) Casualities will be evacuated faster, and fresh troops will be rushed faster as replacements.
(3) Fuel, rations will be supplied faster to far flung posts, though isolated from ground.

So .............
should we adopt 'Wait and See" or do something

 

[Energon]

I hope that this base is developed to the fullest extent so as to make it compatible with large supply aircrafts (Antonovs, Illushyns, C-130Js etc). Unfortunately India does not have a specialized civilian body to deal with humanitarian disasters (yet) thereby leaving this task up to the armed forces. The remote and inaccessible regions of Leh-Ladakh are famous for its natural beauty but also notorious for land slides, avalanches and other calamities which claim many lives. If these air bases were developed to accommodate specialized supply aircrafts of these sorts then humanitarian missions would become a whole lot easier and efficient.

 

[fatman17]

I hope that this base is developed to the fullest extent so as to make it compatible with large supply aircrafts (Antonovs, Illushyns, C-130Js etc). Unfortunately India does not have a specialized civilian body to deal with humanitarian disasters (yet) thereby leaving this task up to the armed forces. The remote and inaccessible regions of Leh-Ladakh are famous for its natural beauty but also notorious for land slides, avalanches and other calamities which claim many lives. If these air bases were developed to accommodate specialized supply aircrafts of these sorts then humanitarian missions would become a whole lot easier and efficient.

in pakistan we dont have a "specialised civilian body" to deal with natural disasters either - where are you going with this?

 

[Energon]

in pakistan we dont have a "specialised civilian body" to deal with natural disasters either - where are you going with this?

This has nothing to do with India/ Pakistan. My point is that developing military infrastructure is the only way to provide the service to provide disaster management services for the people in that region. If money is being spent to develop an airbase, it should be for more than just strike fighters. Make it dual purpose in order to accommodate humanitarian operations as well which fall under the jurisdiction of the military by default.

In developed nations civilian bodies are in charge of disaster management and only call upon the military (in the US it's the state/ national guard) if the magnitude of the disaster is extreme. Otherwise there are agencies like the Mountain Rescue, Park Rangers (not to be confused with the Army Ranger units), local/state police and fire departments that can carry out disaster management operations. Hopefully India will start investing in such services (and/or expanding them); but until then, the military is the only way to go.