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BANGALORE: Anticipating a rapid Talibanization of Pakistan as the coalition forces are planning to withdraw troops from Afghanistan by 2013, Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal NAK Browne on Saturday said the year ahead is going to be crucial for India.
The threat of Talibanlization of Pakistan could even reach the Wagah border if the situation in both Afghanistan and Pakistan worsens, Browne said at the Air Chief Marshal LM Katre Memorial Lecture on 'IAF: Strategies and Capabilities'.
"There is a systematic Talibanization of the state of Pakistan. The focal point of terrorism now has shifted from Afghanistan to not only North West Frontier Province but also to Punjab. And it is a major worry for India," he said.
Elaborating the plan to strengthening the capacities in northern parts of the country, he said the two airfields - Nyoma and Kargil - will be made fully operational airbases soon. "We have plans to deploy a Su-30MKI fighter jet squadron along with a transport base in Nyoma airbase. The Kargil airbase will have the newly acquired C-130 and C-17 transport aircraft with heavy lift capabilities to enhance the special operations."
The number of air squadrons projected for the year 2022 is 42. While the existing squadrons of MiG-29, Jaguar and Mirage-2000 will be upgraded, a good amount of the current fleet will be replaced with Rafale jets, HAL's LCA fighter aircraft and Sukhoi MKIs. The airlift capacity (transport aircrafts) airforce will be increased three times in ten years. The helicopter fleet will also be expanded by adding the new Apache attack choppers and another fleet of either Chinook helicopters or the new variant of Mi 26s.
Pak Talibanization threatens Wagah, says IAF chief - The Times of India
The threat of Talibanlization of Pakistan could even reach the Wagah border if the situation in both Afghanistan and Pakistan worsens, Browne said at the Air Chief Marshal LM Katre Memorial Lecture on 'IAF: Strategies and Capabilities'.
"There is a systematic Talibanization of the state of Pakistan. The focal point of terrorism now has shifted from Afghanistan to not only North West Frontier Province but also to Punjab. And it is a major worry for India," he said.
Elaborating the plan to strengthening the capacities in northern parts of the country, he said the two airfields - Nyoma and Kargil - will be made fully operational airbases soon. "We have plans to deploy a Su-30MKI fighter jet squadron along with a transport base in Nyoma airbase. The Kargil airbase will have the newly acquired C-130 and C-17 transport aircraft with heavy lift capabilities to enhance the special operations."
The number of air squadrons projected for the year 2022 is 42. While the existing squadrons of MiG-29, Jaguar and Mirage-2000 will be upgraded, a good amount of the current fleet will be replaced with Rafale jets, HAL's LCA fighter aircraft and Sukhoi MKIs. The airlift capacity (transport aircrafts) airforce will be increased three times in ten years. The helicopter fleet will also be expanded by adding the new Apache attack choppers and another fleet of either Chinook helicopters or the new variant of Mi 26s.
Pak Talibanization threatens Wagah, says IAF chief - The Times of India