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IAF to upgrade airfields at Kargil, Nyoma

Published: Monday, Oct 3, 2011, 18:07 IST
Agency: PTI

To strengthen its capabilities in Ladakh along the borders with China and Pakistan, Indian Air Force (IAF) is going to upgrade its airfields at Kargil and Nyoma for fighter and heavy transport aircraft operations.

"Defence Ministry has given its clearance for expanding Nyoma airbase, the proposal is awaiting clearance from Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS)," IAF Chief Air Chief Marshal NAK Browne said here today.

Observing that expansion of existing airstrips will give a "fair amount of both defensive and offensive options" to the IAF, he said, "We are also looking at expanding the Kargil runway for operating all type of aircraft."


Though a lot of work needs to be done to make these airstrips support modern transport aircraft such as C-130J and C-17s, Browne said, the IAF, in due course of time, is also planning to operate fighter aircraft from these two bases.

"As Nyoma (airstrip) is concerned, we want to develop the base to a 12,000 feet runway and with that kind of space available, we plan to base aircraft of all types we can operate from there such as fighter class aircraft, transport and helicopters," Browne told the annual Air Force Day press conference.

Responding to a query on the infrastructure available in Kargil, he said, "As far as Kargil is concerned. It is a much shorter strip with just 6000 feet and the width of the strip is just 100 feet. We are already operating AN-32 transport planes from there."

Queried about the kind of fighter aircraft which IAF is planning to operate from Nyoma and Kargil airfields, Browne said, "We should be able to operate C-17 and C-130 and in due course of time.

"We should have the capability to operate certain amount of fighter aircraft from there. But our first priority is to get the heavy transport aircraft operating from there," he said.

The IAF chief said that with these two fully operational airstrips, the force will have more options to operate its fighter and transport aircraft.

He said the upgradation of runway at Kargil may take a little more time than Nyoma due to the kind of work that is required there.

"We are hoping to operate the heavy transport aircraft from there by 2016. The base requires some heavy amount of land filling," he said.

Referring to the floods in Leh two years ago, Browne said because of the peculiarities of the weather and terrain there, the IAF wants to increase its options to operate in the eastern and northern Ladakh.

"When we had Leh floods, if Leh had not been recovered in time, the entire mountain area would have been cut off and the entire relief work would have stopped," he said.

"Because of the peculiarities of weather and terrain in the northern region, we want to increase our options in the eastern and northern Ladakh," Browne said.

Kargil, which was the main target of Pakistan army in 1999 conflict, is strategically located along the LoC. Upgradation of the airstrip would help in maintaining the large number of troops deployed at high altitude there.

With the capability of operating heavylift aircraft from there, IAF can also rush in troops in large number, if required.

Nyoma, which is closer to Chinese border, is located in Eastern Ladakh and its upgradation will help in augmenting the support provided to army formations there.

IAF to upgrade airfields at Kargil, Nyoma - India - DNA

---------- Post added at 06:16 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:16 PM ----------

IAF to upgrade airfields at Kargil, Nyoma

Published: Monday, Oct 3, 2011, 18:07 IST
Agency: PTI

To strengthen its capabilities in Ladakh along the borders with China and Pakistan, Indian Air Force (IAF) is going to upgrade its airfields at Kargil and Nyoma for fighter and heavy transport aircraft operations.

"Defence Ministry has given its clearance for expanding Nyoma airbase, the proposal is awaiting clearance from Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS)," IAF Chief Air Chief Marshal NAK Browne said here today.

Observing that expansion of existing airstrips will give a "fair amount of both defensive and offensive options" to the IAF, he said, "We are also looking at expanding the Kargil runway for operating all type of aircraft."


Though a lot of work needs to be done to make these airstrips support modern transport aircraft such as C-130J and C-17s, Browne said, the IAF, in due course of time, is also planning to operate fighter aircraft from these two bases.

"As Nyoma (airstrip) is concerned, we want to develop the base to a 12,000 feet runway and with that kind of space available, we plan to base aircraft of all types we can operate from there such as fighter class aircraft, transport and helicopters," Browne told the annual Air Force Day press conference.

Responding to a query on the infrastructure available in Kargil, he said, "As far as Kargil is concerned. It is a much shorter strip with just 6000 feet and the width of the strip is just 100 feet. We are already operating AN-32 transport planes from there."

Queried about the kind of fighter aircraft which IAF is planning to operate from Nyoma and Kargil airfields, Browne said, "We should be able to operate C-17 and C-130 and in due course of time.

"We should have the capability to operate certain amount of fighter aircraft from there. But our first priority is to get the heavy transport aircraft operating from there," he said.

The IAF chief said that with these two fully operational airstrips, the force will have more options to operate its fighter and transport aircraft.

He said the upgradation of runway at Kargil may take a little more time than Nyoma due to the kind of work that is required there.

"We are hoping to operate the heavy transport aircraft from there by 2016. The base requires some heavy amount of land filling," he said.

Referring to the floods in Leh two years ago, Browne said because of the peculiarities of the weather and terrain there, the IAF wants to increase its options to operate in the eastern and northern Ladakh.

"When we had Leh floods, if Leh had not been recovered in time, the entire mountain area would have been cut off and the entire relief work would have stopped," he said.

"Because of the peculiarities of weather and terrain in the northern region, we want to increase our options in the eastern and northern Ladakh," Browne said.

Kargil, which was the main target of Pakistan army in 1999 conflict, is strategically located along the LoC. Upgradation of the airstrip would help in maintaining the large number of troops deployed at high altitude there.

With the capability of operating heavylift aircraft from there, IAF can also rush in troops in large number, if required.

Nyoma, which is closer to Chinese border, is located in Eastern Ladakh and its upgradation will help in augmenting the support provided to army formations there.

IAF to upgrade airfields at Kargil, Nyoma - India - DNA
 
Great development.

Hoping a squadron of interceptors and upgraded M2K;s placed there.
 
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Indian Air Force chief Air Chief Marshal Norman Browne today showered praise on Lockheed-Martin's execution of the Indian C-130J Super Hercules contract. With a contract for six more C-130Js in the final stages (through the foreign military sales or FMS route), the IAF chief revealed that the Indian government would be benefitting from a discount of approximately Rs 400 crore in the new contract as a result of savings accured during the execution of the contract for the original six (five delivered, with the sixth to arrive next month). "It is the first time in history that we have received aircraft earlier than the agreed date, and I commend the programme for its execution," the IAF chief said at his annual press conference today. When I asked him if the six follow-on C-130Js would be of the same configuration as the original six, he said, "There will be some improvements."

Livefist: Six More C-130Js For IAF In Afterglow Of First Contract

Any ideas what these improvements might be??
 
Military to expand strategic footprint
Rejig to guard India interests
SUJAN DUTTA

New Delhi, Oct. 3: India’s armed forces are re-orienting their strategic reach from the ability to land in, take off from and deploy in countries around the Indian Ocean rim to “wherever India’s interests lie”.

“I expect that at least by 2022, we are capable of taking care of India’s interests not only at home, but also abroad,” Air Chief Marshal Norman Anil Kumar Browne said today, setting a 10-year time frame.

“So far, our interest was defined from the Gulf of Aden (in the west) to the Straits of Malacca (in the east) but, as experience in Libya and other countries have taught us, we have to be able to reach wherever we have our interests,” he said.

Reflecting the dichotomy in India’s economic growth story, the military is swinging between the aspirational and the actual: its strategic global “vision” contrasts sharply with its “tactical” domestic and frontier compulsions.

Despite that, the re-orientation of strategic perspective that the air chief disclosed today means the military “perspective plans” that are now being drawn up will focus on acquiring assets that can cover longer distances faster — such as the C17 Globemaster III heavy-lift aircraft — and deployable hardware.

The Indian Air Force maintains a low-profile presence in just one foreign base — at Farkhor/Ayni in Tajikistan where Indian military engineers have relaid a runway and built hangars — but the security establishment does not make that public.

But India’s military is not preparing to “fight other people’s wars”, the air chief marshal said. “There is a big difference between expanding ‘strategic reach’ and being ‘expeditionary’,” Air Chief Marshal Browne said.

The militaries of western developed countries, such as the US and the UK, are “expeditionary”, meaning that they engage in conflicts thousands of kilometres from their own territories. India’s focus will remain on airlifting, search and rescue and missions guarding Indian business assets overseas.

“First, obviously we have to see our security interest… that is defending the air space within our country, and thereafter look at where are our strategic interests lie. Earlier, we have been talking of our strategic interests starting from the Gulf of Aden to the Malacca Straits. But as the global footprint of India increases, certainly the IAF will be called upon to serve India’s interests based on our capabilities,” Browne said.

The modernisation plans will have to be tailored keeping in mind that “the strategic interests of the country will be serviced by the IAF irrespective of place, location and time, and we must achieve that capability”, he said.

The re-orientation of the Indian military’s strategic vision, policy-makers believe, is in keeping with the growth of Indian business interests and the presence of Indians in conflict-ridden countries. For example, Indian companies are prospecting for oil in the South China Sea, in collaboration with Vietnam, and around Sakhalin in Russia’s Pacific Coast.

But India’s security commitments at home demand a balance in acquisitions that the military is finding difficult to achieve. “This is something that will happen over the years and will be based on capabilities,” Air Chief Marshal Browne said, when asked if the new “strategic vision” was aspirational or whether the armed forces were actually working to a plan.

“It is clear that we have to be able to cover the distances in conjunction with, for example, the navy, as we did in Libya,” Browne said.

Among the domestic security demands that the military is currently trying to meet are mountain radars for the frontier with China, where air intrusions were reported as late as July. Browne said the IAF was currently dependent on the Indo Tibetan Border Police, a paramilitary force, to report such intrusions. The deployment of mountain radars would send out alerts in real time.

The Union home ministry, too, was likely to add to the list of multi-utility Mi-17 V5 helicopters that the IAF is now engaged in procuring. The IAF contracted 80 of the helicopters in 2008. It also told the home ministry that its resources were too stretched to deploy the number of helicopters it has asked for counter-Maoist operations. But this month the IAF has deployed two helicopters in Ranchi in addition to four in Jagdalpur and Raipur (Chhattisgarh).

Browne said the new helicopters were joining the fleet from this month and he expected to get 26 by March 2012.

The first squadron of the new Mi-17 V5s will be deployed at Bagdogra in north Bengal.
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Indian Air Force (IAF) Pilots prepare for a Night Drill ahead of Air Force Day celebrations in Kalikunda airbase

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Flankers are one of the most Beautiful Warplane made... (Infact Raptor too looks good..) What say you?
 
the induction of c-130j will give a boost to Indian air force in rescue relief operations
now if India is purchasing more c-13oj
than they purchase c-13oj-30 model
 
the induction of c-130j will give a boost to Indian air force in rescue relief operations
now if India is purchasing more c-13oj
than they purchase c-13oj-30 model

All C-130js IAF is inducting for SOFs are C-130-30js.
 
South Asia’s most powerful air base at Jodhpur

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Jodhpur: India has stepped up her air defence on the western border with the stationing of squadron of Sukhoi-30 MKI fighter jets at Jodhpur Air base. With this, the air base becomes the most powerful air base in South Asia, Commanding Aryan Gaekwad said.

Gaekwad was talking to reporters at the function of 79th Air Force Day on Tuesday. A total of 100 fighter jets and a hundred missiles are stationed at the Jodhpur air base, he further said. :cheers::cheers: The base is also equipped with modern radar and communication systems that enable the officers to give a quick response to any foreign fighter jet or foreign planes in the air domain of the country.

Officer Anurag Rai said the Royal Flying Club was started in Jodhpur in 1931 by the then king Umaid Singh with two planes. The air base was later upgraded in 1950 after the formation of Indian Air Force.

South Asia
 
Why a new thread for this news? Honey,no one even gives a tiny sh!t about the news you posted. Even sensible Indians would agree with me b/c this is normal activity. This news has already been posted and discussed.What is new?


congratz on getting the most powerful base in S.Asia,Bharti. :laugh:
 
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