Indian Air Force inducts first Su-30MKI squadron near Pakistan border

[Singh]

Induction Ceremony: SU 30 MKI at Air Force Station Halwara​

SU-30 MKI aircraft was inducted into Western Air Command in a formal ceremony at Air Force Station Halwara on 25 Sep 12. Air Marshal Arup Raha AVSM VM AOC-in-C Western Air Command IAF was the chief guest for the induction ceremony. He was accompanied by Mrs Lily Raha President AFWWA (Regional).

While the first batch of SU-30 MKI was inducted into IAF in Sep 2002, the 220 Squadron at Halwara known as 'Desert Tigers', which flew the MiG-23 aircraft till 2005 is now resurrected with the latest SU-30 MKI Squadron in Western Air Command. The SU-30 MKI is a frontline all-weather air-dominance fighter with multi-role capability, which can undertake varied air combat and ground attack missions. Air Force Station Halwara is one of the oldest frontline Airbases of the IAF. The base has grown by leaps and bounds since its inception as a forward airfield in 1942. Halwara, due to its strategic location was actively involved in both 1965 and 1971 Indo-Pak wars. Halwara has been home to Spitfires in early 1950s to being the hub of Mig-23 operations till 2009. It was later chosen to base the first SU-30 MKI Squadron in the Western Air Command in 2011.

The 'Desert Tigers' were formed as an offensive fighter Squadron on 09 Feb 1963. The Squadron was initially names as 'Fighting Tigers' and flew the first jet aircraft of the IAF, the Vampire. The squadron has changed many bases during its forty years long journey and has taken part in 1965, 1971 and Kargil Operations. While the Squadronflew Vampires during 1965 war, it flew HF-24 Marut in 1971 war from Jodhpur where the Squadron was rechristened as' Desert Tigers', the name it is known by till date. The Squadron later went on to fly Mig-23 BN, the supersonic strike fighter till 2009. Having been inactive for two years the 'Desert Tigers' were resurrected with state of the art air-dominance fighter SU-30 MKI in Sep 2011. The Squadron has a glorious past and it looks forward to bright future as it readies to spread its wings across the Indian landscape.

Air Force Station Halwara witnessed a well coordinated ceremony on this occasion. Guests from Western Air Command graced the event. The chief Guest was received by Air Officer Commanding Air Force Station Halwara, Air Commodore RGK Kapoor VM. An impressive parade contingent presented a general salute to the AOC-in-C. Later the Commanding Officer of the Squadron, Wing Commander SharadAneja took permission from the Air marshal to get airborne in a SU-30 MKI aircraft. The ceremony included an impressive flypast by the SU-30 s of 220 Squadron. The pilots of the Squadron executed the characteristic 'Trishul' formation in a spectacular manner signifying their formal induction into the premier Air Command of the IAF. The Air Force personnel and their families witnessed the momentous occasion at Air Force Station Halwara.

Air Marshal Arup Raha AVSM VM in his address congratulated the air warriors of Halwara air base for successful induction fo SU-30 MKI. Heappreciatedthe tireless efforts put in by all personnel in operationalising the Squadron within a very short period. The Squadron has enhanced the operational capability of Western Air Command in a substantial manner. The Air Marshal and his wife interacted with the officers and their spouses during social evening organised at the Officers' Mess.

Mrs Lily Rahainteractd with the spouses of air warriors (Sanginis) during the customary welfare meeting held at CV Gole auditorium. She also visited various welfare ventures run by President AFWWA (Local), Mrs. (Dr.) SuneetaKapoor.

source:GoI

 

[vishwaprasad]

Aren't they vulnerable to missile attacks by Pakistan? Considering range,speed of the fighter IMO there was no need to deploy this fighter near the border.

 

[Blackwater]

there is small thing call SAM on this planet earth

 

[vishwaprasad]

there is small thing call SAM on this planet earth

True...but no SAM can GUARANTEE A KILL against each missile attack. Its quite risky to keep such high value fighters so close to enemy border especially when they have modern missiles.

 

[Blackwater]

True...but no SAM can GUARANTEE A KILL against each missile attack. Its quite risky to keep such high value fighters so close to enemy border especially when they have modern missiles.

even there is no guarantee if SU-30 stationed in madras,pakis got missile to target even kolkotta

Anyhow. bases are made at strategic location with some self defence capability. These planes has to be close to border incase of short notice fly if there is intrusion from our gawandi

 

[bhramos]

True...but no SAM can GUARANTEE A KILL against each missile attack. Its quite risky to keep such high value fighters so close to enemy border especially when they have modern missiles.

i too have the same feeling............

 

[farhan_9909]

can a cruise missile destroy a whole airbase?

Anyway i hope that we might struck a deal for s300 with Russia

 

[vishwaprasad]

can a cruise missile destroy a whole airbase?

Anyway i hope that we might struck a deal for s300 with Russia

depends on the warhead I think it can wipe out the entire base....

 

[p2prada]

can a cruise missile destroy a whole airbase?

Anyway i hope that we might struck a deal for s300 with Russia

With a nuke, there could be decent damage. It depends on the size of the base.

 

[bhramos]

 

[vishwaprasad]

i too have the same feeling............

exactly...its a mistake IMO to keep Flanker so close to Pak border. Its range does not require it. Its like keeping Agni-5 near Pakistan border.

 

[vishwaprasad]

even there is no guarantee if SU-30 stationed in madras,pakis got missile to target even kolkotta

Anyhow. bases are made at strategic location with some self defence capability. These planes has to be close to border incase of short notice fly if there is intrusion from our gawandi

BW....Deeper the deployment of our Flankers we will have more time to react or find counter measures...its anytime more safer than deploying them so close to border....

MODS I am not able to quote properly. please help.

 

[Sridhar]

One more just 150 km from Border is Sirsa coming up

India's eighth Sukhoi SU-30 combat jet squadron by December
Published September 26, 2012 | By admin

SOURCE : IANS

India will raise its eighth squadron of Sukhoi SU-30 MKI frontline combat planes in December this year and it will be based at Sirsa in Haryana, just 150 km from the border with Pakistan and which had acted as a forward airbase during the 1971 war.

This will be the third Su-30 squadron of the Indian Air Force (IAF) to be deployed close to Pakistan border in 14 months, after Jodhpur in Rajasthan in October 2011 and Halwara in Punjab on Tuesday.

"The third Sukhoi squadron close to our western frontiers will be based in Sirsa. It will be raised in December," a senior IAF officer told IANS here.

The Sirsa squadron will also be the second unit to fly the air dominance fighters under the Delhi-based Western Air Command (WAC) that controls 16 air bases and is responsible for defending the air space over north India.

The IAF had resurrected the disbanded 220 Squadron at Halwara on Tuesday.

In August 2010, the IAF had for the first time deployed a SU-30 squadron in the northeast at Tezpur in Assam, to act as a counter to China. In March 2011, it raised another Sukhoi squadron at the Jabua airbase, also in Assam.

The original two SU-30 squadrons are based at the Lohegaon airbase near Pune, which is also the home base for these sophisticated fighters. One squadron is based at Bareilly in Uttar Pradesh.

However, the IAF is far from its target to operate 17 Sukhoi squadrons by 2018, when it would have inducted 272 aircraft, making it the main combat plane for the next decade or so.

India had first signed up for Su-30s in 1997, when it bought 50 of the planes off-the-shelf from Russia. Later, it also obtained a licence for Indian public sector behemoth Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) to manufacture the planes.

From the HAL stable, the IAF would, at last count, be getting 222 Su-30s. This includes the 42 planes that India signed a deal for with Russia in December 2011 when Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was in Moscow for a bilateral summit with then Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.
India’s eighth Sukhoi SU-30 combat jet squadron by December | idrw.org

 

[arya]

exactly...its a mistake IMO to keep Flanker so close to Pak border. Its range does not require it. Its like keeping Agni-5 near Pakistan border.

what i feel they did right the same we should do on the china border su30 will keep the enemy away from the center .

i think we should deploy more planes on china border as compare to pakistan , IA is capable to counter pakistan but not same in case of china so iaf has to focus on china and IA has to focus on pakistan , IN has keep both in mind

 

[Defcon 1]

exactly...its a mistake IMO to keep Flanker so close to Pak border. Its range does not require it. Its like keeping Agni-5 near Pakistan border.

Airbases are engineered to withstand missile attacks. Although there is no guarentee, we can be sure that the airbase would have high kill probability against missiles. Moreoever, using missiles could be a double edged sword for pakistan. A missile attack would give away the location of their missile silos, and would limit the number of points from where they can launch nukes on us.

 

[sayareakd]

once we put our front line fighters so close to Pakistan that means, we have to take lot of measures, so that we are not caught off guard, plus even if they will attack us, we have to make sure that our assets within the base are spread an d hidden in such a manner that damage can be minimized. Once attack we always have option to take out all their bases.

 

[vishwaprasad]

Airbases are engineered to withstand missile attacks. Although there is no guarentee, we can be sure that the airbase would have high kill probability against missiles. Moreoever, using missiles could be a double edged sword for pakistan. A missile attack would give away the location of their missile silos, and would limit the number of points from where they can launch nukes on us.

Hope its engineered properly to withstand such attack. I am more worried about Pakistan's capacity to launch A2G cruise missiles and weapons ie. RA'AD, JSOW's..besides even if they fire surface to surface weapons such as Babur, Nasr, don't you think that they have portable launchers for these?

 

[Defcon 1]

Hope its engineered properly to withstand such attack. I am more worried about Pakistan's capacity to launch A2G cruise missiles and weapons ie. RA'AD, JSOW's..besides even if they fire surface to surface weapons such as Babur, Nasr, don't you think that they have portable launchers for these?

I have always wondered if Raad can be launched from aircrafts like JF17, its weight is 1100kg according to wiki. Some senior member will have to confirm it. Also, how can they target the base with Nasr which has only a range of 60 km?? How far exactly is this base from the border?

 

[p2prada]

Raad can possibly be launched from JF-17. I guess 2 can be carried.

Nasr is a tactical weapon meant to be used against troops on the frontlines, like artillery.

 

[Apollyon]

Raad can possibly be launched from JF-17. I guess 2 can be carried.

Nasr is a tactical weapon meant to be used against troops on the frontlines, like artillery.

How good/effective will be Babur and Ra'ad against Indian targets considering future Indian Army and Air-Force acquisitions of LR (Barak-8)/MR (Akash-ER/2)/SR(possibly Spyder) ?
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