Former vice chief of Indian Air Force Air Marshal P K Barbora (retd), known to be an outstanding air warrior who was instrumental in reactivation of the Daulat Beg Oldie (DBO) air strip in eastern Ladakh, passed away at a military hospital in New Delhi on Monday. He was 72.
'We should have seen these signals and reacted earlier.' 'We miss out on a certain strategic advantage by arriving late on the scene.'
'We have not got into a one-on-one with the terrorists. But there is no assurance they won't resort to launching a shoulder or vehicle fired missile. The probability is very low, but the threat exists,' Air Marshal P K Barbora (retd) tells Vicky Nanjappa/Rediff.com
The sortie had to be executed in good weather and in sub-zero temperatures, which meant it was to be accomplished by mid or third week in May before the earth heated up and the monsoon clouds made things difficult.
'No aeroplane in the world has been designed to switch off its engines above 14,500 feet.' 'Thanks to a lot of practice, we were able to execute a flawless landing at DBO at 0900 hours on 31st May, creating history.'
"Over the period of time after 26/11, we saw a gradual build up of Pakistan Air Force across the area of Western Air Command area of responsibility, close to over 75 per cent," IAF's Vice Chief-Designate Air Marshal P K Barbora told media-persons in New Delhi.
Conceding that people in the bordering areas do move into the neighbouring nation's territory at times, he termed it a common phenomenon on borders and said, "There is no danger from such movement."
Slamming China for objecting to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to Arunachal Pradesh, the Indian Air Force on Monday said it does not 'fear' the Chinese military and that the neighbour should not have any problem with it upgrading airstrips in the North-East.
Interacting with visiting reporters recently at the command's headquarters in Shillong, Barbora, the first officer from the northeast to head an IAF command, recollected the Chinese agression in the north-east in 1962.
"In a few years time, we might see this change coming in with certain pre-conditions that till this age we request you to be happy, be married, but no offsprings," IAF Vice Chief Air Marshal P K Barbora told media-persons in New Delhi."After 13-14 years of service, investments made on fighter pilots are actually recovered by the government," he said.
'China would rather tie us down; and bleed us as much as it can so that we aren't able to lift our heads to face them.'
They justified the strikes, saying the forces had entered into Indian territory occupied by Pakistan.
'India in 2020 is a lot better prepared than in 1962.' 'It is no longer a pushover; and anything other than a crushing Chinese military victory will be a major loss of face for China,' observes Rajeev Srinivasan in the first of a three part column.
'It is hard to justify $225 million a plane for an increasingly obsolete mission.' The purchase of the 36 Rafales has changed little for the IAF.
