New Delhi: The Indian Air Force (IAF) is enhancing its radar power in order to match China’s capability to see deep within India.
The force is now embarking on a robust Mountain Radar Project along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), as China’s radars and extended-range systems far outnumber those of India’s.
Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal (ACM), V.R. Chaudhari said the IAF keeps monitoring radar deployments that take place along the borders and was aware of China’s “radar platter”. He added that in places the force could not counter with numbers or the adversary’s might, it relied on “better tactics and better training”.
At present, the IAF uses the DRDO-developed Low Level Light Weight Radar (LLLWR) Aslesha Mk-I to keep an eye on China, along with other lightweight radars which are deployed depending on developments. But it will now deploy mountain radars at strategic locations to be able to see equally deep into Chinese territory.
Speaking at the IAF’s annual press meet in Delhi, the Air Chief said the force persistently monitored the situation across borders through intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR). He explained: “We make note of the build-up of resources and capabilities across the border. Our operational plans are very dynamic and keep changing based on the situation we perceive is developing across any front.”
ACM Chaudhari added, “We have very flexible and dynamic war plans which we keep revising every now and then based on the ISR.”
He was also asked to assess the situation along the LAC, a contested area between Indian and Chinese troops. Chaudhari said there were some areas where “the adversary might have an edge in catching up in terms of planning and tactics”. He identified the first area as “defence networks”. In this case, he said, “The number of radars and extended-range systems which are deployed are quite large.”
To counter this, he said, the air force keeps making amendments to its operational plans based on where these surveillance equipment were deployed by the adversary.
Meanwhile, the situation at the border has not changed in the last one year, Chaudhari said, citing certain “contested areas” where complete disengagement had not taken place. “We will continue to remain deployed as we were till then,” he added.
He, however, said the IAF had created advanced landing grounds in Himachal Pradesh and the Northeast to enhance infrastructure along the LAC. “They are not only operational, we have even opened them for civilian aircraft under the Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik (UDAAN), regional-connectivity scheme,” the air chief said.
The force has also got the approval to create an airbase in Nyoma, Leh in Eastern Ladakh, and work would soon start on creating an airstrip. In addition, the air force is also focussed on creating hardened aircraft shelters, open storage areas and securing assets that already exist in forward areas, according to Chaudhari.
More than three years after the violent Galwan clash, which killed 20 Indian soldiers, the two countries are yet to disengage and de-escalate along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). In order to resolve the standoff, the two sides are involved in talks at the diplomatic, military as well as political levels.
(Edited by Tikli Basu)
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