Possible Indian Special Weapons Storage Facilities

[The Deterrent]

Possible Indian Special Weapons Storage Facilities

NOTE: In this article, the word "special" refers to possibly-nuclear-weapons-related.


India currently maintains a nuclear weapons arsenal of 80-100 warheads. Majority of those consist of Gravity Bombs, specifically deliverable by the Indian Air Force's Dassault Mirage-2000s and SEPECAT/HAL Jaguars. It is unclear if other strike and multirole platforms like MiG-27 and Sukhoi Su-30MKI have been designated as means of delivering nuclear weapons, although both have the capability.
India has also deployed Agni-I, Agni-II and is deploying Agni-III as nuclear ballistic missiles, with Agni-IV and Agni-V in development as future platforms.

Like other nuclear nations, India also undertakes strict security measures to ensure the safety of these weapons of mass destruction, both from internal and external threats. However, the well established security measures also make the possible special weapons storage sites prone to detection.

Taking advantage of this fact, several secured storage locations have been spotted on Google Earth. Most of the facilities are located inside Indian Air Force Bases, and the rest are near other Air Force Bases but well secured.

The criteria of determining the possibility of a special weapons storage facility are as following:

1. 2-3 Layered Perimeter security consisting of Mesh Fences and High walls, covered by barbed wires.
2. Presence of patrolling routes between the layers.
3. Multiple watchtowers inside.
4. Presence of all above security measures in the facilities which are already INSIDE secured airbases.
5. Presence of distinguishable Hardened Shelters and Bomb Fallout Shelters inside the facilities.
6. Similarly secured tunnel complex(es) with hardened pathways.

Note: The facilities located inside Air Bases may be temporary storage for special weapons, in case of conflict escalation. The mentioned aircrafts are nuclear capable. The coordinates of all facilities are given below images (which are given in-case ImageShack takes these images down, and can be copy-pasted to Google Earth for members' usage).

Possible Special Weapons Storage Facilities:

1. Halwara Air Force Base

At the IAF's Halwara Air Force Base, there is a heavily guarded Hardened Shelter present, with narrow entrance and exits. This AFB houses the MiG-27M/MU and Sukhoi Su-30MKI aircrafts.
The facility is elaborated below.

Coordinates: 30 44 34.59N, 75 37 46.36E


2. Nal/Bikaner Air Force Base

There are 2 similar facilities located inside this AFB. The bases houses the Mirage-2000 nuclear-capable aircrafts.

The facilities are elaborated below.

Coordinates: 28 05 02.87N,73 12 43.32E

Coordinates: 28 05 01.03N, 73 12 58.89E

3. Bhisiana Air Force Base

There are 2 similar facilities at this IAF base.

The facilities are elaborated below.

Coordinates: 30 16 50.72N, 74 45 21.83E

Coordinates: 30 17 09.35N, 74 45 23.30E

 

[The Deterrent]

4. Gwalior Air Force Base

There are 3 secured bunkers/hardened shelters located inside this IAF base. They are secured by 2 layers of mesh fences/barbed wires each. Similar facilities are also located at Chandigarh AFB. Possibility is that they are old/long term special weapon components storages, perhaps no longer in use. The airbase houses Mirage-2000s along with MiG-27s.

Coordinates: 26 18 11.49N, 78 13 36.43E

5. Suratgarh Air Force Base

There are 2 similar storage facilities under-construction at this IAF base as of 2009, propbably for future deployments of Su-30MKIs.

Coordinates: 29 22 32.13N, 73 53 28.02E

6. Kalaikunda Air Force Base

There are 2 similar storage facilities under-construction at this IAF base as of 2011. The airbase houses Su-30MKIs and MiG-27s.

Coordinates: 22 20 41.20N, 87 12 35.49E


7. Hindon Air Force Base

At this IAF base, it seems that a secured facility is present for long-term storage of possible special weapons or their components, as it houses no nuclear-capable aircrafts, rather transport aircrafts (C-130J).

Elaborated:

Coordinates: 28 43 01.72N, 77 22 20.22E

 

[The Deterrent]

8. Jodhpur Tunnel Complex

At Jodhpur, there is a secured tunnel complex built inside hills which are approximately 100 ft. high at some points. The tunnels are 22 in total and the facility includes an Airstrip for landing of Transport Aircrafts and/or Helicopters. The whole area is secured by multiple walls/fences and checkposts with routes for patrolling vehicles. The facility can be best described as India's attempt at a land-based Second Strike Capability, presumably against Pakistan.
Alongwith the tunnels, there are large bomb-fallout shelters located in proximity, possibly for temporarily sheltering Agni missiles at the time of launch.

Coordinates: 26 25 53.36N, 73 06 28.67E

The Airstrip:

The Tunnel Complex:

Possible Temporary Missile Storage Facilities:

Elaborated below are parts of the tunnel complex:

(Image appears distorted because of overlapping of two images)

 

[The Deterrent]

Other Secured Storage Facilities:

There are numerous weapons storage facilities all around India. Around ~50 were located which have rudimentary security measures i.e. multi-layered security fencing and watchtowers & patrolling routes between them. These facilities may store weapons ranging from Infantry Ammunitions to Ballistic Missiles.
Note : The storage facilities being mentioned from here onwards are not in the category of "special" storage facilities.


1. Ambala

Coordinates: 30 24 01.68N, 76 51 18.58E

2. Ambala

Coordinates: 30 23 57.08N, 76 53 03.47E

3. Ambala (Large Storage Facility)

Coordinates: 30 1 58.07N 74 59 38.34E

4. Adampur

Coordinates: 31 24 50.51N, 75 43 46.86E

5. Agra

Coordinates: 27 07 40.94N, 77 56 39.72E

6. Bhatinda

Coordinates: 30 14 25.10N, 75 01 01.68E

7. Bhatinda (Large Storage Facility)

Coordinates: 30 33 25.41N, 76 48 17.44E

8. Bhuj

Coordinates: 23 11 49.55N, 69 41 25.89E

 

[The Deterrent]

9. Jaisalmer

Coordinates: 26 58 02.16N, 70 59 17.14E

10. Jaisalmer (Large Storage Facility)

Coordinates: 26 55 51.13N, 70 58 12.91E

11. Jamnagar

Coordinates: 22 29 06.59N, 69 59 38.45E

12. Ludhiana(Large Storage Facility)

Coordinates: 30 52 58.45N, 75 45 19.34E

13. Nal(Large Storage Facility)

Coordinates: 28 08 41.83N, 73 15 30.01E

14. Secunderabad

Coordinates: 17 32 04.42N, 78 30 00.58E

15. Utterlai

Coordinates: 25 47 52.58N, 71 23 28.50E

 

[The Deterrent]

Weapons Storage Facilities at Air Force Bases

These storage facilities have similar security measures i.e. multiple perimeter fences and watchtowers with several Bomb-Fallout Shelters inside. They may majorly store Munitions and Missiles of the Aircrafts of IAF, however the possibility of them storing other high-value assets such as Baliistic Missiles (Agni and Prithvi series) cannot be ruled out.
Some of the facilities are displayed below as examples. For the rest, coordinates have been listed.


1. Bhisiana Air Force Base

Coordinates: 30 15 18.69N, 74 45 57.58E

2. Jamnagar Air Force Base

Coordinates: 22 27 52.71N, 69 59 33.41E

3. Kalaikunda Air Force Base

Coordinates: 22 20 04.95N, 87 12 26.97E

4. Pathankot Air Force Base

Coordinates: 32 14 10.23N, 75 37 21.74E

5. Sirsa Air Force Base

Coordinates: 29 34 30.09N, 75 00 49.19E

6. Suratgarh Air Force Base

Coordinates: 29 24 18.78N, 73 54 47.35E

7. Tezpur Air Force Base

Coordinates: 26 42 13.06N, 92 46 24.48E

8. Utterlai Air Force Base

Coordinates: 25 47 37.85N, 71 28 51.32E


Coordinates for similar facilities:

09. Bareily AFB: 28 25 42.91N, 79 26 47.61E
10. Chandigarh AFB: 30 39 49.93N, 76 48 01.72E
11. Gwalior AFB: 26 18 29.40N, 78 13 26.81E
12. Halwara AFB: 30 43 57.54N, 75 39 02.81E
13. Halwara AFB: 30 43 58.88N, 75 38 11.40E
14. Halwara AFB: 30 45 02.40N, 75 38 39.70E
15. Jaisalmer AFB: 26 53 28.78N, 70 51 11.56E
16. Nal/Bikaner AFB: 28 04 21.24N, 73 11 29.09E
17. Pathankot AFB: 32 13 07.99N, 75 37 36.78E
18. Pune AFB: 18 34 39.35N, 73 56 32.04E
19. Tezpur AFB: 26 42 35.08N, 92 47 53.50E

 

[The Deterrent]

Note for Indian Members

1. This article does not threatens India's national security. The Intelligence Agencies of both countries have conducted far better researches against each other. This data is publicly available, and a person who is smart enough to dig up this thread can also locate them himself.

2. You are more than welcome for researching on similar Pakistani facilities. I tried my best, but they look all the same and there is no definite way of telling. Just google it, you will find many .kmz files related to Pakistan's possible facilities.

@ Moderators
Kindly do not merge this thread with Sir Imran's thread on Indian Nuclear and Missile Storage Sites. My approach and purpose is different. And of course I want my posts on the first page

 

[janon]

Did you do the research yourself? If so, good job.

However, I don't think nuclear weapons are stored only in IAF bases, since the army and navy also have the responsibility of delivering nukes. The agnis in particular might be stored in army bases as well. Besides, different parts of a nuke missile are stored at different locations and only pieced together when the threat status is elevated. This is to prevent any bypassing of the chain of command.

 

[Jango]

4. Gwalior Air Force Base

There are 3 secured bunkers/hardened shelters located inside this IAF base. They are secured by 2 layers of mesh fences/barbed wires each. Similar facilities are also located at Chandigarh AFB. Possibility is that they are old/long term special weapon components storages, perhaps no longer in use. The airbase houses Mirage-2000s along with MiG-27s.

These three facilities looks really well secured, possibly underground and having blast doors etc etc.

 

[The Deterrent]

Did you do the research yourself? If so, good job.

However, I don't think nuclear weapons are stored only in IAF bases, since the army and navy also have the responsibility of delivering nukes. The agnis in particular might be stored in army bases as well. Besides, different parts of a nuke missile are stored at different locations and only pieced together when the threat status is elevated. This is to prevent any bypassing of the chain of command.

Yes. Thanks

Agreed. I could only point out those who were evidently identifiable because of the security measures. The other storage facilities might store special weapons for the Army and the Navy.
Yes, thats why I mentioned that

The facilities located inside Air Bases may be temporary storage for special weapons, in case of conflict escalation.

i.e. where they will be stored after assembling.

 

[Jango]

Something huge at Bhuj and Jaisalmer.

This seems to be the standard design. Design like this is used by UAEAF for aircraft hangars. These are definitely not aircraft hangars.

This circular thing is also visible associated with every shelter thing. Possibly launching pad?

 

[The Deterrent]

This circular thing is also visible associated with every shelter thing. Possibly launching pad?

This f*king circular thing (somewhere square) is associated with every secured and sheltered structure in both Pakistani and Indian storage facilities. If anyone one knows about what it is, do share!

I don't think these are launching pads. Possibly water containers for instant fire extinguishing or something.

 

[illusion8]

@ahasheeba - good job, you might have scratched the surface here.

 

[Archie]

you can get these images from Google earth

They are not all that secret

Those that were secret , have been blocked as per agreement between APJ Abdul Kalam and George W Bush

 

[COLDHEARTED AVIATOR]

Note for Indian Members

1. This article does not threatens India's national security. The Intelligence Agencies of both countries have conducted far better researches against each other. This data is publicly available, and a person who is smart enough to dig up this thread can also locate them himself.

2. You are more than welcome for researching on similar Pakistani facilities. I tried my best, but they look all the same and there is no definite way of telling. Just google it, you will find many .kmz files related to Pakistan's possible facilities.

@ Moderators
Kindly do not merge this thread with Sir Imran's thread on Indian Nuclear and Missile Storage Sites. My approach and purpose is different. And of course I want my posts on the first page

You are saying that after a attack on PAF's base knowing that terrorists are after such targets.These targets might not be of so much importance to PAF now as they are not focused on a war with India but will be of a lot of importance to terrorist groups.