Senior air officers meet at Kalaikunda air base - The Times of India
KOLKATA: It was an important day for Air Force station Kalaikunda on Thursday with Indian Air Force (IAF) chief Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha paying a visit in the evening.
Earlier in the day, Air Marshal R K Jolly, air officer commanding-in-chief, Eastern Air Command (EAC), reached Kalaikunda on a two-day visit.
The two senior IAF officers are likely to discuss several strategic issues over the next couple of days.
With the IAF planning to station additional assets in the EAC in days to come to counter any threats from across the country's northern border, the meeting will be crucial one, sources said.
Roles of airbases like Kalaikunda, Panagarh, Barrackpore, Hashimara, Bagdogra, Tezpur, Jorhat, Chhabua and others in the north eastern sector will be assessed. This is Raha's first visit to the EAC after he took over.
Less than a month before his taking over, the last of the Mig-21 FLs being operated by the EAC flew into the annals of history. During Raha's tenure, the command will witness deployment of new assets.
Bases in the North East may get more squadrons of Su-30 MKIs and even some Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), once they start getting officially inducted into the IAF.
Panagarh is to witness the induction of the C-130J Super Hercules very soon.
These tactical aircraft will be utilized for the quick deployment of troops along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) as and when required.
The C-130J has already landed successfully at advanced landing grounds in Arunachal Pradesh. On his arrival at Kalaikunda, Jolly was received by AOC Air Commodore Rakesh Sinha.
After inspecting a guard of honour, the AOC-in-C visited operational units and various facilities and expressed satisfaction with operational, maintenance and administrative preparedness of the airbase.
KOLKATA: It was an important day for Air Force station Kalaikunda on Thursday with Indian Air Force (IAF) chief Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha paying a visit in the evening.
Earlier in the day, Air Marshal R K Jolly, air officer commanding-in-chief, Eastern Air Command (EAC), reached Kalaikunda on a two-day visit.
The two senior IAF officers are likely to discuss several strategic issues over the next couple of days.
With the IAF planning to station additional assets in the EAC in days to come to counter any threats from across the country's northern border, the meeting will be crucial one, sources said.
Roles of airbases like Kalaikunda, Panagarh, Barrackpore, Hashimara, Bagdogra, Tezpur, Jorhat, Chhabua and others in the north eastern sector will be assessed. This is Raha's first visit to the EAC after he took over.
Less than a month before his taking over, the last of the Mig-21 FLs being operated by the EAC flew into the annals of history. During Raha's tenure, the command will witness deployment of new assets.
Bases in the North East may get more squadrons of Su-30 MKIs and even some Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), once they start getting officially inducted into the IAF.
Panagarh is to witness the induction of the C-130J Super Hercules very soon.
These tactical aircraft will be utilized for the quick deployment of troops along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) as and when required.
The C-130J has already landed successfully at advanced landing grounds in Arunachal Pradesh. On his arrival at Kalaikunda, Jolly was received by AOC Air Commodore Rakesh Sinha.
After inspecting a guard of honour, the AOC-in-C visited operational units and various facilities and expressed satisfaction with operational, maintenance and administrative preparedness of the airbase.