Army launches 'Sanghe Shakti'

Chandigarh, May 17 (UNI) A An-32 with 40 paratroopers on board zoomed into the night to commence 'Sanghe Shakti', the first major military exercise after 'Operation Parakram'.

As the night descended on the Air Force Base here, the silence of the night was shattered by the loud noise of the giant sized IL-76 and AN-32 transport aircrafts. A total of two IL-76 and 10 AN-32 took off one after the other with men and equipment on board.

These planes will drop a battalion of troops at Sidhwan Khas near Phillar in the plains of Punjab for one of the biggest military exercise. This is the biggest parachute drop in the last five years.

Just before the start of the exercise, Air Marshal S K Singh, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Air Command said, ''The AN-32 aircrafts will drop an entire parachute battalion while the IL-76 will drop equipment in the dark flying in formation without lights.'' On the first AN-32 aircraft that took off with 40 troops, the Air Marshal said, ''This first aircraft is called Path Finder, the first group of troops dropped by it will make a T-Point on the dropping zone,where other troops will land.'' Air Marshal Singh said, ''With twin base concept and multi ingress and egress routes, operation will be conducted at ultra low level.'' The Air Marshal said, the aim of the exercise was to draw out enemy reserves in the general area and to degrade the counter offensive capability of the enemy.'' Lt Gen Daljeet Singh, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Command said that 20,000 troops with nealy 2000 to 2500 vehicles, from 2 Corps, the Strike Corps, will take part in the exercise.

Lt Gen Singh said, ''Exercise is a routine event to look at new technology, weapon system, ability to fight with very little collateral damage.'' UNI DP VN ARB VC2202