An Indian Air Force IL-76 medium-haul transport aircraft will leave New Delhi for Chengdu with 36 tons of tents and blankets as the first part of its pledged five-million dollar humanitarian assistance for relief activities in its Sichuan province devastated by a temblor, which claimed nearly 15,000 lives.
India will get its first 'eye in the sky', the Phalcon Airborne Warning and Control Systems aircraft on May 18, which will provide the Indian Air Force means to track incoming missiles and look deep into the neighbouring countries without violating any air space.
The Indian Air Force will now have to wait till March end for Israeli airborne early warning system, whose induction has already been delayed by 16 months. "The Israeli Phalcon airborne early warning and control system (AWACS), which will provide the IAF an eye in the skies to perform surveillance and reconnaissance roles, will arrive in India only by March end," a senior IAF officer told PTI in New Delhi on Friday.
The relief material from India started reaching Myanmar on Wednesday, with two Indian Air Force planes and two Naval ships arriving in the cyclone-hit country with urgently required essential supplies. India is sending another consignment of relief material by an IL-76 aircraft of IAF on Thursday to the neighbouring country, where the death toll has crossed 22,000 and is rising rapidly, revealing the extent of widespread devastation caused by the calamity.
The joint exercise will begin on December 21 with the spotlight on anti-terrorism drills, with China expected to draw upon the experience of Indian troops known for expertise gained in their counter-insurgency operations.
The Indian Air Force wants to buy unspecified numbers of Phalcon Airborne Warning and Control System aircraft from Israel in addition to the three already contracted in 2004 for $370 million each, it was reported. The air force request is near finalisation at the Ministry of Defence, sources said, but the price of the additional AWACS planes is yet to be negotiated.
The Phalcon radars, developed by Israel, would be fitted in Russian-built planes.
To help the civil administration, air force under operation 'Hamsafar' pressed its load carrying fleet into service and ferried a total of 300 metric tons of food items from Jammu to Srinagar.
The exercise provides an opportunity to practice freefall techniques with the highly-experienced Russian diving team.
The commanders are also expected to specifically deliberate on deployment of first batch of around six Rafale fighter jets which are expected to join the IAF's fighter fleet later this month, they said.
Braving three minor hurricane storms en route, the aircraft carrying Indian relief landed at the Little Rock Air Force base in the US on September 13
The IAF IL-76 aircraft carrying aid will be routed via Doha, Cairo, Lisbon and Boston to reach New Orleans on September 9, the IAF official said
The Rs 5,000 crore deal is for the supply of three Phalcon advanced early warning system aircraft to be mounted on Russian-made IL-76 platform for Indian Air Force.
Pakistan permitted the overflight of the IAF aircraft as a special gesture.
The Jaguars, taking part in exercise 'Cope Thunder 2004', will cross the Atlantic helped by mid-air refuelling by the IAF's just acquired IL-78 giant tankers.
We salute the Mi-8 today on the occasion of the 32nd anniversary of Operation Cactus. Through its glorious service career, the Mi-8 left an indelible mark on the future by providing the IAF with a lineage of professional helicopter aircrew, says Air Commodore Nitin Sathe (retd).
For the first time, Airborne Warning and Control System are likely to be deployed in New Delhi on Republic Day for vigil from the skies during the parade where US President Barack Obama will be the chief guest.
"We are making serious attempts to rescue people marooned in flood waters based on inputs we get from various sources, including people," asserted a top Indian Air Force official overseeing the marathon operations by his force amidst allegations by some people that forces had not reached all the affected people.
'If UAV technology is used by the adversary to target VIPs or strategic targets it would be a different ball game altogether,' says Group Captain Murli Menon (retd).
With flood waters receding, the armed forces have stepped up its rescue operations in Jammu and Kashmir
Both sides are fielding the same number of troops for the joint exercises, which will culminate on October.
The crash between a Kazakhstan Airlines Ilyushin Il-76 and a Saudia Boeing 747 over Charkhi Dadri in Haryana occurred 24 years ago.' During the lockdown, journalist Bhavya Dore reported on it from her home. Her article found a proud mention in the Bloomsburg Jealousy List 2020.
Responding to cyclone Hudhud, the armed forces have repositioned their resources to assist the civil administration to launch rescue and relief operations in the affected regions of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha.
Having launched the massive relief operation 'Maitri' in quake-hit Nepal, India has told the United Nations that it remains committed to partnering with the neighbouring country's rehabilitation and reconstruction.
'Eeit ka jawab patthar se denge.' 'We will do whatever it takes to ensure that such a loss does not happen again.'
Women pilots will soon fly fighter jets of the Indian Air Force, Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha said on Thursday.
With cruise missile and air strikes being India's most likely response to a hypothetical Pakistani terrorist outrage in the future, retaliation from the Pakistan air force is inevitable. That is where the S-400 will come into play, says Ajai Shukla.
Over 300 angry relatives of Chinese passengers aboard the Malaysian airliner on Tuesday clashed with security personnel outside Malaysia's embassy in Beijing as China demanded the truth about the jet's mysterious crash.
'I will need a few more pictures, sir, can I get some time from you for a more extended photo shoot?' asked Singh. Modi, ever-obliging before the camera, laughed. 'Sure, but let us plan to do it after my swearing-in is over in May!' The Balakot effect was evident. A fascinating excerpt from Rajdeep Sardesai's 2019: How Modi Won India.
Widening 'Operation Maitri', the Indian Army on Monday moved its rescue mission outside Nepal's capital into the epicentre of the devastating earthquake.
'China's moves are of direct significance to India, which will closely monitor Chinese naval activity in the Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean not least because of Chinese maps depicting claims over the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.'
The Indian Air Force's on Friday conducted day-night demonstration of its combat and fire power in Pokhran, which was witnessed by President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The Seismological department said that the quake measured 6.8 on the Richter scale and lasted for about two minutes.
Fresh tremors were on Sunday felt in various parts of India, including the national capital Delhi, even as the death toll in Saturday's earthquake climbed to 62.
Defence ministry incompetence hobbles development of battle-taxis for the Indian Army.
'The range of purchases throw a light on India's threat perception as also its perceived role of being a stabilising influence in the region,' says Brigadier S K Chatterji (retd).
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