New Sukhoi base to cover south India

[thestringshredder]

NEW DELHI: Even as the western and eastern fronts with Pakistan and China are bolstered with additional Sukhoi-30MKI squadrons, India has also kick-started plans to base its most lethal "air dominance'' fighter in south India to keep a "strategic eye'' over Indian Ocean.

Defence minister A K Antony will inaugurate the new airbase at Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu on May 27, which will eventually house a Sukhoi squadron (16 to 18 jets) after the requisite "tech-flight hangers, avionic bays, labs, fuel dumps and other infrastructure'' comes up over the next few years.

"Till then, IAF will keep sending regular fighter and transport aircraft detachments to Thanjavur since the runway and other facilities are in place there now. Long-range fighters (Sukhois have a cruising speed range of 3,200-km) operating from Thanjavur will be able to dominate the crucial Andaman and Nicobar archipelago as well as the Bay of Bengal,'' said a source.

India has so far inducted over 170 of the 272 Sukhoi-30MKIs contracted from Russia in deals worth Rs 55,717 crore ($12.4 billion). Pune and Bareilly already have two Sukhoi squadrons each, while Tezpur, Chabua, Halwara and Jodhpur have a squadron each.

Another squadron is coming up at Sirsa, with Tezpur, Chabua, Jodhpur and Halwara slated to get their second squadrons thereafter. "Thanjavur will get the last Sukhoi squadron by 2018,'' he said.

The Sukhoi squadrons at Tezpur, Chabua and Bareilly are part of the larger "dissuasive deterrence'' being put in place against China. With eight operational airbases in Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR), China can rapidly deploy 21 fighter squadrons against India. China, incidentally, has even taken to conducting major exercises with its J-10, Sukhoi-27UBK and Sukhoi-30MKK fighters in the high-altitude Qinghai-Tibet Plateau in recent times.

The Sukhoi squadrons in Halwara, Sirsa and Jodhpur are meant to counter any misadventure by Pakistan, which is rapidly bolstering its air combat capabilities with American F-16s as well as Chinese JF-17 'Thunder' and F-7 fighters.

IAF would like more fighter squadrons since it is down to just 34 at present, with ageing MiG jets being progressively retired. "Airpower plays the pivotal role in shaping modern battles," an officer said.

To achieve the aim of operating 44 to 45 squadrons over the coming decade, IAF is banking upon the early inking of the $20 billion MMRCA (medium multi-role combat aircraft) project to acquire 126 French Rafale fighters.

The first 18 jets under the MMRCA project will come in "fly-away condition'' from 2017 onwards, with the rest 108 fighters being manufactured under licence by Hindustan Aeronautics. After being derailed for some months due to differences between HAL and French aviation major Dassault, the complex final negotiations in the MMRCA project are back on track now.

Link - New Sukhoi base to cover south India - The Times of India

 

[AUz]

Which airforce will attack South india?

Pakistan Air Force will only operate in Punjab, Sindh, and Kashmir regions across border..

Chinese will never send any aircraft in South india..

Pakistan and China will use their ballistic and cruise missiles to bombard targets in South india, if any.

Keeping an "eye" on indian ocean by building a base of Su-30 MKIs in South india? lol..funny. I thought indian navy, P-8is, submarines, and Naval squadrons of Mig 29K were already present...

just another way of doing corruption in pathetic indian defence sector

 

[IndianArmy]

Which airforce will attack South india?

Pakistan Air Force will only operate in Punjab, Sindh, and Kashmir regions across border..

Chinese will never send any aircraft in South india..

Pakistan and China will use their ballistic and cruise missiles to bombard targets in South india, if any.

Keeping an "eye" on indian ocean by building a base of Su-30 MKIs in South india? lol..funny. I thought indian navy, P-8is, submarines, and Naval squadrons of Mig 29K were already present...

just another way of doing corruption in pathetic indian defence sector

Our strategy unlike yours is to not leave any land of ours vulnerable of an attack, being a bigger and responsible nation, we ought to have good reach. And South India has had non fighter squadrons for decades, our defense modernization in the south is slow and this would really help IAF to react quickly to the threat areas in the south, especially the Andamans which is a strategic point and The Indian Navy Air Arms are not potent enough like the IAF.

Threat is just a perception, but being ready for it is our duty.

 

[MST]

Which airforce will attack South india?

Pakistan Air Force will only operate in Punjab, Sindh, and Kashmir regions across border..

Chinese will never send any aircraft in South india..

Pakistan and China will use their ballistic and cruise missiles to bombard targets in South india, if any.

Keeping an "eye" on indian ocean by building a base of Su-30 MKIs in South india? lol..funny. I thought indian navy, P-8is, submarines, and Naval squadrons of Mig 29K were already present...

just another way of doing corruption in pathetic indian defence sector

Don't you know we are planning an invasion of Sri Lanka. I thought it was public knowledge

 

[Koovie]

Which airforce will attack South india?

Pakistan Air Force will only operate in Punjab, Sindh, and Kashmir regions across border..

Chinese will never send any aircraft in South india..

Pakistan and China will use their ballistic and cruise missiles to bombard targets in South india, if any.

Keeping an "eye" on indian ocean by building a base of Su-30 MKIs in South india? lol..funny. I thought indian navy, P-8is, submarines, and Naval squadrons of Mig 29K were already present...

just another way of doing corruption in pathetic indian defence sector

WTH are you talking about? Corruption?

IAF presence in the sound was always there, even in crucial situation like the 71 war, there were several squadrons kept in reserve from the frontlines to protect the south.

And defending the south is not the task of the Navy.

 

[GR!FF!N]

Guys,I think Kalaikunda also got one SU-30 squadron,which is in charge of A&N.that makes two SU-30 bases in IOR/BOB region.also,there are plans to base this jet on A&N itself,from where it was operated in the past.

 

[AUSTERLITZ]

Which airforce will attack South india?

Pakistan Air Force will only operate in Punjab, Sindh, and Kashmir regions across border..

Chinese will never send any aircraft in South india..

Pakistan and China will use their ballistic and cruise missiles to bombard targets in South india, if any.

Keeping an "eye" on indian ocean by building a base of Su-30 MKIs in South india? lol..funny. I thought indian navy, P-8is, submarines, and Naval squadrons of Mig 29K were already present...

just another way of doing corruption in pathetic indian defence sector

You fooling around again,these will interdict chinese ships and subs coming from the malacca and cut off their trading lanes in case of war.
They can also be used to reinforce the airforce bases in NE india rapidly and are invulnerable to first strike TAC ballistic missile strikes than forward bases due to huge distance.They act as airforce strategic reserve using india's strategic depth to the maximum.

 

[Srinivas]

This is related to Maritime security of our Islands.

 

[ExtraOdinary]

They will complement our navy to help us keep vigil on the IOR and our islands. Not to mention they will serve as a strategic reserve in any emergency scenario in which our Northern bases are knocked out or overwhelmed.

 

[anant_s]

Good move! Till the time IAC 1 comes into IN fleet with MIG 29, it is important to have atleast one such squadron in South India. There may be no imminent need right now, but you never know when a requirement can arise.

 

[rockstarIN]

I believe first Mk-1 squardan of LCA will also station at Tanjavore. Now MKIs are also confirmed, it is not just a 'No-threat' base for IAF. Good news indeed.

 

[IND151]

NEW DELHI: Even as the western and eastern fronts with Pakistan and China are bolstered with additional Sukhoi-30MKI squadrons, India has also kick-started plans to base its most lethal "air dominance'' fighter in south India to keep a "strategic eye'' over Indian Ocean.

Defence minister A K Antony will inaugurate the new airbase at Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu on May 27, which will eventually house a Sukhoi squadron (16 to 18 jets) after the requisite "tech-flight hangers, avionic bays, labs, fuel dumps and other infrastructure'' comes up over the next few years.

"Till then, IAF will keep sending regular fighter and transport aircraft detachments to Thanjavur since the runway and other facilities are in place there now. Long-range fighters (Sukhois have a cruising speed range of 3,200-km) operating from Thanjavur will be able to dominate the crucial Andaman and Nicobar archipelago as well as the Bay of Bengal,'' said a source.

India has so far inducted over 170 of the 272 Sukhoi-30MKIs contracted from Russia in deals worth Rs 55,717 crore ($12.4 billion). Pune and Bareilly already have two Sukhoi squadrons each, while Tezpur, Chabua, Halwara and Jodhpur have a squadron each.

Another squadron is coming up at Sirsa, with Tezpur, Chabua, Jodhpur and Halwara slated to get their second squadrons thereafter. "Thanjavur will get the last Sukhoi squadron by 2018,''he said.

The Sukhoi squadrons at Tezpur, Chabua and Bareilly are part of the larger "dissuasive deterrence'' being put in place against China. With eight operational airbases in Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR), China can rapidly deploy 21 fighter squadrons against India. China, incidentally, has even taken to conducting major exercises with its J-10, Sukhoi-27UBK and Sukhoi-30MKK fighters in the high-altitude Qinghai-Tibet Plateau in recent times.

The Sukhoi squadrons in Halwara, Sirsa and Jodhpur are meant to counter any misadventure by Pakistan, which is rapidly bolstering its air combat capabilities with American F-16s as well as Chinese JF-17 'Thunder' and F-7 fighters.

IAF would like more fighter squadrons since it is down to just 34 at present, with ageing MiG jets being progressively retired. "Airpower plays the pivotal role in shaping modern battles," an officer said.

To achieve the aim of operating 44 to 45 squadrons over the coming decade, IAF is banking upon the early inking of the $20 billion MMRCA (medium multi-role combat aircraft) project to acquire 126 French Rafale fighters.

The first 18 jets under the MMRCA project will come in "fly-away condition'' from 2017 onwards, with the rest 108 fighters being manufactured under licence by Hindustan Aeronautics. After being derailed for some months due to differences between HAL and French aviation major Dassault, the complex final negotiations in the MMRCA project are back on track now.

Link - New Sukhoi base to cover south India - The Times of India

Thanks for info

 

[Backbencher]

Good move . India being a very large country ought to protect its every side of the border and for long south had been neglected but with the beast mki being deployed any attack from Andaman would be a distance dream for the enemy

 

[selvan33]

Good move! Till the time IAC 1 comes into IN fleet with MIG 29, it is important to have atleast one such squadron in South India. There may be no imminent need right now, but you never know when a requirement can arise.

The both will come almost at the same time(2018).

 

[SAN 1971]

Which airforce will attack South india?

Pakistan Air Force will only operate in Punjab, Sindh, and Kashmir regions across border..

Chinese will never send any aircraft in South india..

Pakistan and China will use their ballistic and cruise missiles to bombard targets in South india, if any.

Keeping an "eye" on indian ocean by building a base of Su-30 MKIs in South india? lol..funny. I thought indian navy, P-8is, submarines, and Naval squadrons of Mig 29K were already present...

just another way of doing corruption in pathetic indian defence sector

Ain't you just a another but hurt across this forum ??