Shillong: Indian Air Force Vice-Chief designate Air Marshal KK Nohwar on Wednesday said if any enemy aircraft violates India's air sovereignty, it will meet the same fate as Pakistan Navy's Atlantic patrol aircraft which was shot down in 1999.
"Let me assure you, if any of our neighbours tries to intrude into our air space, it will meet the same fate as that met the Atlantic in the Rann of Kutch," Nohwar said, when pointed to reports about Chinese air planes chasing an US spy aircraft over Taiwan recently.
In 1999, a Pakistan Navy Atlantic was shot down by IAF MiG-21s after they failed to force it to land at an Indian base. Disobeying instructions from the MiG pilots, the Atlantic manoeuvred to escape from them and was shot down by a heat-seeking air-to-air missile over the Rann of Kutch region.
Nohwar, currently the AoC-in-C of Eastern Air Command, said "between two nations, there is always a posture that is maintained".
"The military is prepared to ensure that there is no violation of its territory. Every country has the right to defend its own territory," the IAF officer said.
Nohwar will take over as the Vice Chief of Air Staff on August 1. Once these ALGs are commissioned, fixed-wing aircraft like AN 32 which can carry much larger load than choppers can land.
"There will also be an opportunity for military aircraft to land there," Nohwar said.
On the inductions, he said two more Su30 squadrons would be deployed in the region by 2014-15.
Chabua and Tezpur in Assam already have a squadron each of the Sukhoi fighter jets.
Nohwar said once the medium multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA) deal was through, the Air Force would deploy some of the squadrons in the eastern sector besides some medium lift helicopters.
He said similarly old radars were being replaced with new ones and that some more mountain radars would be inducted. Keeping in mind the terrain, lots of places have been identified for the purpose and a standard deployment pattern is being followed.
"This will ensure best possible coverage to detect any hostile threat," the Air Marshal said.
He said Remotely Piloted Aircraft (unmanned aircraft) would also arrive in the sector in the next few years.
"The Mi21s have been phased out except for a squadron at Kalaikunda. Most of the semi-permanent infrastructure is being changed and developed keeping in mind the climatic condition in the region," Nohwar, who will take over as the Vice Chief of Air Staff on August 1, said.
