Indian Air Force (IAF) has landed C 130J-30 Super Hercules aircraft at Daulat Beg Oldie (DBO) in Ladakh in Indian administered Kashmir near the Line of Actual Control with China.
New Delhi, Aug 20/Nationalturk- Sending a strong signal to China, Indian Air Force (IAF) Tuesday landed C 130J-30 Super Hercules aircraft at Daulat Beg Oldie (DBO) in Ladakh in Indian administered Kashmir near the Line of Actual Control with China.
“The Commanding Officer Group Captain Tejbir Singh and the crew of Super Hercules aircraft along with senior officer of Air Headquarters touched down on DBO airstrip located at 16614 feet (5065 meters) in the Aksai Chin area at around 0654 hours today,” an Indian government spokesman said.
The Super Hercules aircraft is capable of lifting upto 20 tonnes of load. “The tactical airlift aircraft of the special operations squadron the “Veiled Vipers” which is capable of undertaking quick deployment of forces in all weather conditions, including airdrops and landings on unprepared or semi prepared surfaces created history today by landing at this altitude and hostile terrain conditions,” he said.
The airfield was reactivated by IAF in 2008 with landing of an Antonov-32 aircraft there from Indian city of Chandigarh after it was last used in the 1965 war with Pakistan.
‘DBO is important Indian army forward post’
“DBO is an important Indian Army forward area post which links the ancient silk route to china. This base was built during the Indo-China conflict in 1962 and came into prominence when Packet aircraft of the IAF operated from DBO between 1962 and 1965. Once again this strategic base in the Northern Himalayas gained importance when it was resurrected and reactivated by the IAF along with the Indian Army and made operational when a twin engine AN 32 aircraft from Chandigarh landed there after a gap of 43 years,” the spokesman said.
‘Now Indian soldiers can use advanced capabilities’
The spokesman said after today’s development, soldiers can exploit the inherent advanced capabilities of the aircraft by increased capability to induct troops, improve communication network and also serve as a great morale booster for maintenance of troops positioned there. “It is also a projection of the fact that the IAF is capable of operating in such inhospitable terrain in support of the Indian Army.”
An IAF spokesman said considering the very limited load carrying capability of AN 32 and helicopters, a decision was taken by the top brass of IAF to land the C130J-30 aircraft.
“With this enhanced airlift capability, IAF will now be in a better position to meet the requirements of our land forces along China border. The Indian army soldiers in the border area are heavily dependent on the air bridge for sustainence in these higher and inhospitable areas,” he said.
Earlier in April this year, Chinese soldiers had set up tents in Depsang Valley near Daulat Beg Oldie and remained there for 21 days. The Chinese soldiers left the area only after several rounds of flag meetings between Chinese and Indian army officials.
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Faiz Ahmad / NationalTurk India News
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