India to strengthen Andaman and Nicobar Command

[janon]

So you want Andaman and Nicobar.......and we want BD....

Then let's make a deal, you give us BD, we'll give you A&N.....

That would be a blunder for India.

 

[Capt.Popeye]

Nope, the IAF doesn't plan on deploying fighter SQDs there on a permanent basis. But they do rotate fighter SQDs through the A&N islands so there is fighter cover there for most of the year.

There simply is'nt a need to deploy Fighters in Sqdn strength there. Op.Detts. of Flight strength (4 a/c) on a rotational basis are enough. For the simple reason that there are no neighboring adversaries there now. But the infra has to be created and maintained; so that the presence can be scaled up whenever required. That means Fuel, Ammo, Stores have to be maintained there as well as Flight-Line Maint. facilities. Most of all an Ops. Center has to be maintained there for Command and Control. That cannot be done from Thanjavur or Kalaikunda. The Sukhois do not need to be there, just MiG-27s or Jaguar IMs are enough; but the Sukhois are there because of the reasons that I mentioned earlier.

At the present time, the IAF presence there is some-what intermittent and more in the nature of familiarisation to set up SOPs. Going into the future, all of that can be required to change. All the ground-work has to be done in advance.

Now to restore some sense of perspective: Some people here, veered the discussion to the IAF. But the basis of this discussion is not even the IAF.
Its about the facilities that the IN requires in the islands.
It requires Repair and Refit facilities for its warships apart from fuel, stores and ammo storage. The fleet there has to be autonomous instead of having to be dependant on the main-land. Some of that exists, but needs to be increased further. The IN already has two air-fields operational there, but two more are likely to be activated. So IN's air surveillance fleet LR, MR and SR elements have operating bases. Soon enough we'll hear of UAVs getting permanently based there. The Shin-Meiwas (when acquired) will find their first operational bases there for SAR duties.

In comparison, the IA's presence is smaller, just for island defence and for training in Amphib. Ops. on the beaches.

 

[Dash]

Its about the facilities that the IN requires in the islands.
It requires Repair and Refit facilities for its warships apart from fuel, stores and ammo storage. The fleet there has to be autonomous instead of having to be dependant on the main-land. Some of that exists, but needs to be increased further. The IN already has two air-fields operational there, but two more are likely to be activated. So IN's air surveillance fleet LR, MR and SR elements have operating bases. Soon enough we'll hear of UAVs getting permanently based there. The Shin-Meiwas (when acquired) will find their first operational bases there for SAR duties.

The airstrip is going to be increased to 6000 feet, it will have hangers, and also it will house repair and maintenance facilities si what I read sometime back.

 

[CorporateAffairs]

Andaman and Nicobar Islands should be ours. Moron Pakistani Politicians did not make good deal with British

AKHAND BHARAT

 

[Capt.Popeye]

The airstrip is going to be increased to 6000 feet, it will have hangers, and also it will house repair and maintenance facilities si what I read sometime back.

All of that will be required in preparation for the future. I assume that you are speaking about Car-Nic; a protecting sea-wall has already come up.

 

[Chronos]

All of that will be required in preparation for the future. I assume that you are speaking about Car-Nic; a protecting sea-wall has already come up.

I wonder how the natives view this.

But the again, they have pretty much become zoological artifices for tourism.

Don't feed the jarawas.

 

[BDforever]

AKHAND BHARAT

 

[Dash]

All of that will be required in preparation for the future. I assume that you are speaking about Car-Nic; a protecting sea-wall has already come up.

I was talking about Cambell bay actually..

Got it!, here is where I read that..

According to media reports, the air strip at Campbell Bay will be increased substantially from the present 3000 odd feet to over 6000 feet. Currently, the Campbell Bay air field is used sparingly and it does not have a facility to either maintain or refuel aircrafts. However, the expansion of the air strip implies that NAS Baaz will have hangars for repair and maintenance of aircraft. Earlier this year, heavy transport aircraft like the C130J have already landed at Campbell Bay.

India to Open New Naval Air Station ‘Baaz’ In Andaman to Keep Vigil Over Malacca Strait

 

[Capt.Popeye]

I was talking about Cambell bay actually..

OK; that relates to INS Baaz. Yes I recall reading that too somewhere. That will make it capable of handling both P-8Is and MiG-29s, is'nt it?

I wonder how the natives view this.

But the again, they have pretty much become zoological artifices for tourism.

Don't feed the jarawas.

There are no Jarawas in Nicobar. The local people there are closer to Sumatrans.

 

[Dash]

OK; that relates to INS Baaz. Yes I recall reading that too somewhere. That will make it capable of handling both P-8Is and MiG-29s, is'nt it?



There are no Jarawas in Nicobar. The local people there are closer to Sumatrans.

I am sure it is, Mig 29 can take off from 240 meters so current 3000 feet will be enough..P8i will need a bigger one and so is the increase in length.

 

[Chronos]

OK; that relates to INS Baaz. Yes I recall reading that too somewhere. That will make it capable of handling both P-8Is and MiG-29s, is'nt it?



There are no Jarawas in Nicobar. The local people there are closer to Sumatrans.

But I saw andaman in the title. But i am sure any big projects that have anthropological implications will be taken into more consideration.

 

[Capt.Popeye]

But I saw andaman in the title. But i am sure any big projects that have anthropological implications will be taken into more consideration.

You have to understand: that its the Andaman and Nicobar Island Achipelago, people abbreviate it to Andamans for some unknown reason. Anthropological considerations weigh in only in case of a few tribes remaining like Jarawas, Onges and Sentinelese; only a few hundreds remain now.

Environmental issues are much more important now and across the entire chain of islands. For example though sand is aplenty on the beaches; sand is shipped in from the mainland for construction just as no quarrying is permitted; all the stone chips come from the main-land too.
Forested areas are still there but tree-felling is banned.

 

[Abingdonboy]

OK; that relates to INS Baaz. Yes I recall reading that too somewhere. That will make it capable of handling both P-8Is and MiG-29s, is'nt it?

And C-17 and C-130Js

 

[Dash]

And C-17 and C-130Js

C130 Js have already done their trips there...

 

[sancho]

As usual you are simply making generic and blanket statements.

Not really, I'm just correcting your excuses! You ignore the fact that there has been a clear change of policy in MoDs and IAFs point of view of placement of fighters / aircrafts on A&N after the Tsunami and taking to the risks the location has. It's simply not true that lack of infrastructure was a reason to change this policy, but that this location is simply at high risks for several different natural disasters and that was stated by officials, even in print if you like:


December 29, 2004

Tsunami grounds IAF’s ambitious plans

Sunday’s tsunami tidal waves has not only brought catastrophe and havoc to India's outlying island territories, it also wrecked Indian Air Force’s plans to turn this island into a major fighter base.

Keeping in view the strategic geographic location of this island as it straddles the access to Malacca Strait waterways through which 75 per cent of the world’s crude oil passes, the Air Force had planned to expand the small base into a major air hub by placing the frontline Su-30 MKI fighter planes here.

As part of starting the fighter operations, the IAF had planned to place two Su-30 multi-role aircraft on the island base from January 5, but Sunday’s storm has delayed the deployment.

“We will have the fighters operating from the base within six months,” a determined Air Chief Marshal S Krishnaswamy told PTI here as he personally assessed the damage caused to the base by the sea storm...

...Though earthquake-prone, the Andaman and Nicobar group of islands offer an ideal strategic ground for operations covering the entire Bay of Bengal, Indian Ocean and the Pacific Rim...

Jun 02, 2005

Interview with Air Chief Marshal Shashindra Pal Tyagi, Indian Air Force

...Q. When will you deploy Su-30MKI and Mirage aircraft to the damaged
airfields on the Andaman and Nicobar Islands?


A. The IAF has no plans to deploy any squadron permanently at these
airfields in the near future. However, the squadron detachments will be
positioned as per requirement. The airfields have been repaired, and our
fighters already carried out successful operations from Carnic airfield
in April. •

Topica Email List Directory


Oct 3, 2011

Kalaikunda fighters in charge of Andaman and Nicobar Islands defences

KALAIKUNDA: The air base at Kalaikunda will now play an extremely crucial role in the country's defences.

Aircraft based here will be involved in air defence over the strategic Andaman and Nicobar Islands and the Bay of Bengal. The tri-services command at the A&N Islands will be in charge of the squadrons of Su-30 MKIs and other advanced aircraft based at Kalaikunda for this specific purpose. This decision was taken when plans for basing Sukhois in the Andamans got scuttled after the 2004 tsunami in which the IAF lost assets...

Kalaikunda fighters in charge of Andaman and Nicobar Islands defences - The Times of India


October 05, 2012

IAF's Modernisation Projects' 75% Completion By 2022: Air Chief Marshal Browne

...Andaman and Nicobar: Already have Carnic air base there. No immediate plans for another new operational base there...

IAF's Modernisation Projects' 75% Completion By 2022: Air Chief Marshal Browne


May 26, 2013

Antony to inaugurate Su-30 squadron at Thanjavur air base

THANJAVUR: Defence minister A K Antony will tomorrow inaugurate an airbase here to house squadron of IAFs lethal Su-30 MKI combat aircraft, making it the first fighter squadron in south India that will help maintain vigil over the Indian Ocean region.

The Indian Air Force (IAF) will base a squadron of agile Sukhoi Su-30 fighter aircraft in Thajavur, making it the first fighter squadron in Southern India, with a view to keep strategic vigil over the Indian Ocean and cover up country's southern flank up to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, IAF officials said here...

Antony to inaugurate Su-30 squadron at Thanjavur air base - Times Of India


And the list goes on and on..., so dispite the strategic importance of the Islands geographically, the plans of using A&N as a fully fledged airbase with fighters and other high value aircrafts is gone. And to counter China from there, only IN will play a role, since IAFs assets will cover the area from mainland bases, or will be diverted to A&N for short term placements.

Some people here, veered the discussion to the IAF. But the basis of this discussion is not even the IAF.

Actually, you reacted to a discussion about using A&N as an aircraft carrier with fighters of IAF.