IAF to add choppers to boost anti-Maoist operations
IAF chief Air Chief Marshal N A K Browne said on Wednesday that the force would set up a new helicopter unit comprising Russian Mi-17V5 helicopters at Nagpur for transporting troops, equipment and casualties.
Browne
said
the
new
unit
will
be
set
up
by
next
month
and
it
will
back
anti-Maoist
operations
in
Jagdalpur.
The
IAF
chief
said
that
the
decision
to
set
up
the
Nagpur
unit
was
taken
long
before
the
gruesome
May
25
Maoist
attack
in
Chhattisgarh
that
left
27
Congress
men,
including
top
state
leaders,
dead.
The IAF now operates six Mi-17IV helicopters from its Gorakhpur unit, which support anti-Naxal operations in Ranchi in Jharkhand and Raipur and Jagdalpur in Chhattisgarh. Browne said it is necessary to deploy new systems to provide better surveillance capabilities to the security forces in the Maoist-hit areas.
The IAF chief said they would get three C-17 Globemaster heavy-lift aircraft from Beoing in June. These aircraft will be based at Hindon air base in Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh.
Besids, contract negotiations are on with respect to five key procurement deals worth Rs 12 lakh crore and they include: 126 Rafale aircraft, 22 Apache helicopters, Lockheed Martin's six C-130J strategic-lift planes, 15 Chinook heavy-lift copters and six Airbus MRTT midair refueler planes.
OneIndia News