Airliners-India.com

karatecatman · Guest

Frontline Sukhoi SU-30 jet deployed in Jammu and Kashmir

Indo-Asian News Service
New Delhi, September 17, 2008
First Published: 14:18 IST(17/9/2008)
Last Updated: 14:23 IST(17/9/2008)

The Indian Air Force (IAF) has, for the first time, deployed its multi-role Sukhoi SU-30MKI combat jets in Jammu and Kashmir to send out a powerful message to both China and Pakistan, with whom it has fought border wars.
The twin-seater air dominance fighter aircraft has begun operating from Ladakh on a temporary basis for what is officially described as a routine training exercise.

"The IAF has deployed Sukhoi jets in Jammu and Kashmir as part of its annual training programme to help the pilots adapt to different environments and respond with flexibility," Air Marshal P K Barbora, the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the premier Western Air Command, told IANS.

The deployment of two squadrons of the SU-30s from their home base at Pune in Maharashtra comes at a time when Pakistan is scheduled to receive a fresh batch of F-16 combat aircraft from the US, as also the JF-17s from China. Two more squadrons of the aircraft are permanently stationed at Bareilli in a China-centric deployment.

While in Ladakh, the SU-30s will undertake various training missions along the India-China and India-Pakistan borders.

The aircraft have just returned home after successfully participating in the prestigious Red Flag exercise with the US Air Force at the Nellis Air Force base in Nevada.

The IAF has been strengthening its lines of defence along the India-China border with the re-opening up of various airbases and the upgradation of several others.

Toward this, the SU-30s, which are capable of delivering eight tones of nuclear payload, are likely to be deployed at the Tezpur air base in Assam, while Pune is to get another squadron of the aircraft, these ones being manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited.

Besides reopening its Daulat Beigh Oldie airstrip in Jammu and Kashmir, the IAF is also upgrading its air bases at Dibrugarh, Mohanbari, Jorhat, Guwahati, Hasimara and Bagdogra in Assam to counter China's prowess.

Way to go IAF! High time it was.

***
www.greaterkashmir.com/full_story.asp?Date=19_9_2008&ItemID=36&cat=1
Mirwaiz shocked at Sukhoi deployment
Srinagar, Sep 18: The Hurriyat Conference (M) chairman, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq Thursday termed India’s deployment of Sukhoi-30 fighter jets in the Valley as ‘shocking’ and said such moves were not going to help in the resolution of Kashmir issue.

Nimish · Posted: Fri Sep 19, 2008 2:06 pm Post subject:

Deploying fighter planes is good, but it's the easy thing to do. I'd like to see the GoI actually take some steps to resolve the whole "kashmir issue", rather than just sail along and hope it'll go away (which it definitely has not done so far).
_________________
We miss you Nalini!

ssbmat · Member Joined: 20 Dec 2006 Posts: 1710

First of all, its is none of Hurriyat's bludy business to comment on IAF activities.
Second of all, I think the military needs to curb information sharing with the media as it is none of the Media's business to discuss strategic and military matters.

The lay person doesnt need to know whether Sukhoi's or Migs or Jaguar's or Mirages are deployed at wherever, as long as he or she is protected and secure.

Let the military do its job.

Aseem · Member Joined: 15 Dec 2006 Posts: 2841 Location: YYZ