Presently physical control of the ‘Jahaz Ground’ is with the Army, while operational and administrative control remains with the IAF’s Halwara air base authorities in Ludhiana district….reports Asian Lite News
In a shocking fraud committed in connivance with revenue officials, the Indian Air Force’s emergency airfield (Jahaz Ground) in Ferozepur Cantonment has been sold off to private persons.
Spread over 15 acres and worth several crores of rupees, the airfield is a part of the 982 acres of prime land acquired by the British government in 1939 for use by the Royal Air Force during World War II. Later, the Indian Air Force used the same airfield in the 1962, 1965 and 1971 wars. The vast Airfield grounds were used for camouflaging weaponry.
Presently physical control of the ‘Jahaz Ground’ is with the Army, while operational and administrative control remains with the IAF’s Halwara air base authorities in Ludhiana district.
In 1997, Usha Ansal, now a resident of Delhi sold off the 15-acre airfield to five private persons using a general power of attorney (GPA) executed by her brother-in-law Madan Mohan Lal who earlier resided in Ferozepur. But Lal died in 1991. Hence, the GPA became infructuous the same year and could not be used for any transaction.
In 1964 during Lal Bahadur Shastris’ government, a scheme was launched to appoint crop managers on all vacant lands in the Cantonment areas in the country to increase foodgrain production when India faced a food crisis in the 60s. The crop managers were required to cultivate the land and pass over foodgrain to the central government.
Madan Mohan Lal and his brother Tek Chand were appointed crop managers for 15 acres in Ferozepur Cantt. But the scheme was discontinued after the green revolution, and all crop managers of 982 acres handed over the land to the Army.
Though the revenue records, including the ‘Jamabandi’ clearly mention the Army owned the land, the then sub-registrar ignored the crucial document while registering the sale deeds executed in 1997.
The new “owners,” Dara Singh, Mukhtiar Singh, Jagir Singh, Surjit Kaur and Manjit Kaur, also managed to get ‘girdauris’ (A revenue official’s field visit report showing the status of any land) done in their names, implying that they were the cultivators and their crops were standing on the otherwise “concrete airfield.”
Armed with registries and girdauris, the new owners moved the office of the then SDM D.P.S Kharbanda to get the 15-acre prime land mutated (Intkal) in their names in the revenue records. Despite the ‘tehsildar’s’ advice that the sale deeds do not seem to be above board, the SDM allowed the recording of mutations in the name of 5 private persons in 2001.
The matter came to light when the five purchasers moved the civil court in 2008 by filing a suit for possession seeking directions to the Army to vacate their land. The fraudsters alleged they had peaceful possession of the land since 1997, but in 2006 the Army forcibly dispossessed them.
The area in pink shows 982 acres of total land acquired by the Brtish for the air field while the area in blue indicates the 15 acres’ emergency landing air strip.
The Air Force wrote to the Financial Commissioner of Revenue (FCR) and Deputy Commissioner (DC) complaining about the fraud and demanded legal action against revenue department officers. But nothing has been done to date.
The aircraft will meet the shortage of basic trainer aircraft of IAF for training of newly- inducted pilots…reports Asian Lite News
The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved procurement of 70 HTT-40 Basic Trainer Aircraft from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for the Indian Air Force at a cost of Rs 6,828.36 crore.
The aircraft will be supplied over a period of six years and the decision is expected to provide fillip to the Indian aerospace defence ecosystem and boost efforts towards ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’. The HTT-40 is a turbo prop aircraft and is designed to have good low speed handling qualities and provide better training effectiveness.
The fully aerobatic tandem seat turbo trainer has air-conditioned cockpit, modern avionics, hot re-fueling, running change over and zero-zero ejection seats, a Defence Ministry release said.
The aircraft will meet the shortage of basic trainer aircraft of IAF for training of newly- inducted pilots.
The procurement will include associated equipment and training aids including simulators.
Being an indigenous solution, the aircraft is configurable for upgrades to incorporate the futuristic requirements of the Indian armed forces.
The HTT-40 has about 56 per cent indigenous content which will progressively increase to over 60 per cent through indigenisation of major components and subsystems.
The HAL would engage Indian private industry, including MSMEs, in its supply chain, the release said.
The procurement has the potential to provide direct employment to about 1,500 personnel and indirect employment for up to 3,000 people spread over more than 100 MSMEs.
DGCA approval for modified variant
The modified variant of HAL aircraft ‘Hindustan 228-201 LW’ has been approved by the civil aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation.
This modification in the aircraft would make it fall in the sub-5,700 kg aircraft category. This variant of HAL aircraft has a maximum take-off weight of 5,695 kg with 19-passenger capability.
“This variant provides several operational benefits for operators such as reduced pilot qualification requirement enabling pilots with Commercial Pilot License to fly the aircraft, enhanced availability of pilot pool for the aircraft and reduced operational cost,” the HAL said in a release on Monday.
In addition, the release said the new variant would reduce training requirements for flying and ground crew, including aircraft maintenance engineers.
Besides, HAL also has approval for 6,200-kg AUW aircraft with a seating capacity of 19 passengers. (ANI)
India’s Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar also extended his condolences, tweeting Monday night that he had contacted his Syrian counterpart, Faisal Mekdad…reports Asian Lite News
India will send two more C-17 Indian Air Force planes to Turkey later this evening with 60 Para Field Hospital and personnel to assist in rescue and relief operations.
According to defence officials, the Agra-based Army Field Hospital has despatched an 89-member medical team. The medical team comprises critical care specialist teams including Orthopaedic Surgical Team, General Surgical Specialist Team, Medical Specialist Teams apart from other medical teams. The teams are equipped with X-ray machines, ventilators, Oxygen generation plant, Cardiac monitors and associated equipment to establish a 30 bedded medical facility.
Meanwhile, the first batch of aid from India, which took off from the Hindon airbase in Ghaziabad early this morning reached Adana in Turkey.
The Indian Air Force tweeted on Tuesday that a C-17, a strategic transport aircraft, left for Turkey “bearing search and rescue teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF).”
According to Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi earlier said India’s Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) capabilities were put into action.” The 1st batch of earthquake relief material leaves for Turkiye, along with NDRF Search & Rescue Teams, specially trained dog squads, medical supplies, drilling machines & other necessary equipment,” he tweeted.
Under HADR operations for Turkey and Syria, India dispatched the first C17 airborne for Turkey at 03:09 am today while the second C17 took off around 10:00 hrs with National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) team.
The aircraft is part of a larger relief effort that will be undertaken by the IAF along with other Indian organisations, said the Indian Air Force.
The aid to Syrian has been meanwhile delayed with, a C130 flight for Damascus with medicines only and no personnel, delayed to this afternoon.
As per latest estimates over 4,372 people have been killed and thousands injured after a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck Turkey and Syria early Monday, according to officials and agencies.
Turkey and Syria were hit by three consecutive devastating earthquakes of magnitude 7.8, 7.6 and 6.0 on Monday, reported Washington Post.
Rescuers in both countries are digging with their bare hands through the freezing night hunting for survivors among the rubble of thousands of buildings.
The quake, one of the strongest to hit the region in more than 100 years, struck 23 kilometres (14.2 miles) east of Nurdagi, in Turkey’s Gaziantep province, at a depth of 24.1 kilometres (14.9 miles), the US Geological Survey said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered his condolences with the Prime Minister’s Office saying that a meeting was held on Monday in which it was decided that “relief material would be dispatched immediately” in coordination with the Turkish government.
“Two teams of NDRF comprising 100 personnel with specially trained dog squads and necessary equipment are ready to be flown to the earthquake-hit area for search and rescue operations,” the statement said.
“Medical teams are also being readied with trained doctors and paramedics with essential medicines. Relief material will be dispatched in coordination with the Government of Turkiye and Indian Embassy in Ankara and Consulate General office in Istanbul,” it added.
India’s Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar also extended his condolences, tweeting Monday night that he had contacted his Syrian counterpart, Faisal Mekdad.
“Expressed solidarity and conveyed our support including through supply of medicines,” he tweeted.
Initially, a magnitude 7.8 quake struck early Monday at 04:17 local time (01:17 GMT) 23 kilometers (14.2 miles) east of Nurdagi, in Turkey’s Gaziantep province near the Syrian border, at a depth of 24.1 kilometers (14.9 miles), the US Geological Survey said.
This was followed by a 7.5-magnitude quake around 130 kilometres north of Gaziantep, and with epicentre was in the Elbistan district of Kahramanmaras province in Turkey according to the US Geological Survey. Tremors were also felt in several neighboring countries, including Lebanon and Syria.
The third earthquake of magnitude 6.0 on the Richter scale hit Goksun, Turkey on Monday. The earthquake — felt as far away as Lebanon, Jordan, Israel and Egypt — occurred in Kahramanmaras province, north of Gaziantep, near the Syrian border.
At least 100 aftershocks measuring 4.0 or greater have occurred since the 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck southern Turkey on Monday morning local time.
As the time from the original earthquake extends, the frequency and magnitude of the aftershocks tend to decrease. However, 5.0 to 6.0-plus aftershocks are still likely to occur and bring a risk of additional damage to structures that are compromised from the original earthquake. This brings a continued threat to rescue teams and survivors, reported CNN.
The aftershocks stretch for more than 300 kilometres (186 miles) along the fault zone that ruptured in southern Turkey, oriented from southwest to northeast and stretching from the border with Syria up through the province of Malatya. (ANI)
Govt calls urgent meeting for humanitarian aid
The government of India has called an urgent meeting with Indian carriers that operate flights to Turkey, in the aftermath of earthquakes in the western Asian country. During the meeting, India’s low-cost airline IndiGo offered free cargo movement to Istanbul on its scheduled flights.
The Indian aviation regulator has held a meeting with Indian carriers over operating flights to Turkey for cargo movements in commercial scheduled flights. IndiGo has offered free cargo movement on its scheduled commercial flights using Boeing 777 aircraft to Istanbul.” an aviation industry source told.
Recently Indigo started its wide-body flight operation to Turkey in Istanbul by Boeing-777.
Turkey earthquake: Govt calls urgent meeting for humanitarian aid; Indigo offers free cargo movement
“The Indian carrier colony is with Turkey in the disaster and we are ready to provide free cargo movement for humanitarian aid,” sources quoted the airline company as saying in the meeting.
Other ministries are also part of the meeting and a final decision is yet to be taken in this regard.
The first Indian Air Force plane carrying disaster relief material and rescue team to carry out search and rescue efforts in Turkey has reached Adana in the earthquake-hit country, external affairs minister S Jaishankar said on Tuesday.
The C17 flight with over 50 personnel from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and a specially trained dog squad along with necessary equipment, including medical supplies, drilling machines and other equipment required for the aid efforts departed for Turkey early this morning.
Turkish Embassy in New Delhi tweeted, “First batch of earthquake relief material along with NDRF’s special search and rescue teams and trained dog squads just arrived in Turkiye. Thank you India for your support and solidarity.”
First batch of earthquake relief material along with NDRF's special search & rescue teams and trained dog squats just arrived in Türkiye.
Meanwhile, nearly 4,900 people have been killed and tens of thousands injured after a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck Turkey and Syria on Monday, according to officials, reported CNN.
Turkey’s death toll rose to at least 3,381 as of around 9:45 a.m. local time on Tuesday, Orhan Tatar, an official with the country’s disaster management agency, said in a televised briefing.
At least 20,426 injuries have also been reported, according to Tatar.
Meanwhile in Syria, the death toll has risen to 1,509 across areas controlled by the government and by the opposition, officials said, reported CNN. (ANI)
This joint exercise will provide a platform for both the countries to enhance operational capability and interoperability, while also sharing best practices…reports Asian Lite News
Indian Air Force (IAF) and French Air and Space Force (FASF) are participating in a bilateral exercise, named ‘Garuda VII’, from October 26 to November 12, 2022, at Air Force Station Jodhpur.
In this exercise, FASF is participating with four Rafale fighter aircraft, one A-330 Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) aircraft and a contingent of 220 personnel. The IAF is participating with Su-30 MKI, Rafale, LCA Tejas and Jaguar fighter aircraft, as well as the Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) and Mi-17 helicopters, read a press statement from the Ministry of Defence on Friday.
The IAF contingent will also include Combat Enabling Assets like Flight Refuelling Aircraft, AWACS and AEW & C. This joint exercise will provide a platform for both the countries to enhance operational capability and interoperability, while also sharing best practices.
This is the seventh edition of the bilateral exercise. The first, third and fifth editions were conducted in India in 2003, 2006 and 2014 at Air Force Stations Gwalior, Kalaikunda and Jodhpur, respectively. The second, fourth and sixth editions were conducted in France in 2005, 2010 and 2019.
Participation of the IAF and FASF in this exercise will promote professional interaction, exchange of experiences and enhancement of operational knowledge, besides strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries, the statement said.
Directed by Shakti Prathap Singh Hada, the film’s first look poster has a picture of Varun Tej dressed as a fighter pilot, surrounded by fighter aircraft…reports Asian Lite News
Telugu Actor Varun Tej on Monday disclosed that his next film, which is being tentatively referred to as ‘Varun Tej 13’, will be about celebrating the valour of the Indian Air Force.
As reported earlier, the film’s story will be set in a war backdrop, with the actor playing a fighter pilot.
On Monday, Varun Tej took to Instagram to post a still from the film, that is being produced by Sony Pictures International Productions and Renaissance Pictures and wrote, “Bravery that knows no bounds, celebrating the valour of Indian Air Force. Get ready to witness the battle in the skies on the big screen. Taking off soon!!!”
Directed by Shakti Prathap Singh Hada, the film’s first look poster has a picture of Varun Tej dressed as a fighter pilot, surrounded by fighter aircraft.
Only recently, the actor had released a small video about this film, without disclosing too many details.
In the video clip, the actor was seen keeping a toy aircraft that resembled a fighter plane on the film’s script even as the sound of a plane taking off was heard.
A father-daughter duo recently created history in the Air Force by flying as part of the same fighter formation…reports Asian Lite News
Air Commodore Sanjay Sharma, who is a seasoned fighter pilot in the Indian Air Force, and his daughter Ananya Sharma, who was commissioned as a fighter pilot in December 2021, flew in the same formation of Hawk-132 Advanced Jet Trainers (AJT) at Air Force Station, Bidar on May 30, 2022.
“Father-daughter duo created history on 30 May 2022, flew in same formation of Hawk-132 ace at AirForce Stn Bidar, where Flying Officer Ananya Sharma is undergoing training before graduating onto faster & more superior fighter aircraft of @IAF_MCC,” said IAF on Tuesday.
It added further that there has not been any previous instance in the IAF where a father and his daughter were part of the same formation for a mission. “They were comrades, who had full faith in each other as fellow wingmen would,” added the statement.
Air Commodore Sanjay Sharma was commissioned in the fighter stream of the IAF in 1989 and has had an extensive experience of fighter operations, having commanded a Mig-21 Sqn as well as a frontline fighter station.
With the induction of the first batch of three women pilots, the fighter stream of the IAF was opened for women in 2016.
The Indian Air Force (IAF) rescued an Israeli national from the Zanskar area of Ladakh, officials said on Thursday…reports Asian Lite News
The tourist was identified as Pnina Kuperman. She was in the area for trekking when she suffered breathing problems.
The Israeli national was evacuated by the helicopter unit of the IAF from a remote high-altitude village Hangkar. The rescue operation was carried out amid strong winds and adverse flying conditions.
Giving details of the operation, a defence spokesperson said, “On the evening of June 29, the pilots from the helicopter unit based at Air Force Station Leh, evacuated Pnina Kuperman, an Israeli national having difficulty in breathing, from a remote high altitude village called Hangkar in the Zanskar valley, braving strong winds & adverse flying conditions.”
The spokesperson said the patient was admitted to a local hospital and was stable now.
The last 60 aircraft would be the main responsibility of the Indian partner and the government would make payments only in Indian currency…reports Asian Lite News
Amid a big push for the Aatmanirbhar Bharat scheme by the PM Narendra Modi-led government, the Indian Air Force is planning to acquire 114 fighter jets of which 96 would be built in India, and rest 18 would be imported from the foreign vendor chosen for the project.
The Indian Air Force has plans of acquiring 114 Multirole Fighter Aircraft (MRFA) under ‘Buy Global and Make in India’ scheme under which Indian companies would be allowed to partner with a foreign vendor.
“Recently, the Indian Air Force held meetings with the foreign vendors and asked them about the way they would carry out the Make in India project,” government sources told ANI.
As per the plan, after the initial 18 aircraft are imported, the next 36 aircraft would be manufactured within the country and the payments would be made partially in foreign currency and Indian currency, the sources said.
The last 60 aircraft would be the main responsibility of the Indian partner and the government would make payments only in Indian currency, the sources said.
The payment in Indian currency would help the vendors to achieve the over 60 per cent ‘Make-in-India’ content in the project, the sources said.
Global aircraft manufacturers including Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Saab, MiG, Irkut Corporation and Dassault Aviation are expected to participate in the tender.
The Indian Air Force has to rely heavily on these 114 fighter jets for maintaining its superiority over the neighboring rivals Pakistan and China.
The 36 Rafale aircraft procured under emergency orders helped immensely in maintaining an edge over the Chinese during the Ladakh crisis which started in 2020 but the numbers are not enough and more such capability would be required by it.
The force has already placed orders for 83 of the LCA Mk 1A aircraft but it still requires a higher number of capable aircraft as a large number of MiG series planes have either been phased out or are on their last legs.
The fifth-generation Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft project is moving ahead at a satisfactory pace but it will take a lot of time to be able to be inducted in an operational role.
The IAF is also looking for a cost-effective solution for its fighter jet requirement as it wants a plane that is low on operational cost and gives more capability to the service, the sources said.
The IAF is highly satisfied with the operational availability of the Rafale fighter jets and wants similar capability in its future aircraft. (ANI)
When it fell, it damaged some civilian property however there was no loss or injury to human life was caused…reports Asian Lite News
The Indian Air Force, in its enquiry, has found more than one official guilty in the case of the “accidental” firing of an armed supersonic missile into Pakistani territory, sources said, adding that severe action would be taken against the persons found guilty.
The enquiry is being conducted by Air Vice Marshal R.K. Sinha, who is probing how the missile got fired during routine maintenance work.
An unarmed supersonic missile “accidently” took off from Sirsa and landed at a place 124 km within Pakistani territory on March 9 evening. The Indian Defence Ministry had “regretfully” explained it as “a technical malfunction”.
The ministry had said that on March 9, in the course of routine maintenance, a technical malfunction led to the accidental firing of a missile.
The Indian government has taken a serious view and “ordered a high-level court of enquiry”.
“It is learnt that the missile landed in an area of Pakistan. While the incident is deeply regrettable, it is also a matter of relief that there has been no loss of life due to the accident,” said the ministry.
The Pakistan Foreign Ministry had warned New Delhi of “unpleasant consequences” over what it claims was an Indian originated, but unidentified high-altitude supersonic object that crashed in its territory.
It had urged India to take effective measures to avoid such violations in the future. Pakistan claimed a supersonic missile took off from Sirsa and landed within Pakistani territory. Cruising at an altitude of 40,000 feet, the missile endangered passenger flights in both Indian and Pakistani airspace, and also civilians and property on the ground, it said.
Pakistan had stated that at 6.43 p.m. on March 9, a high-speed flying object was picked up inside Indian flying territory by Air Defence Operations Centre of the Pakistani Air Force. From its initial course the object suddenly maneuvered towards Pakistani territory and violated Pakistan’s airspace ultimately falling near Mia Channu.
When it fell, it damaged some civilian property however there was no loss or injury to human life was caused.
Major General Iftikhar said has “initiated requisite tactical actions in accordance” with the Standard Operating Procedures.
Pakistan had picked up missile at a high-altitude of 40,000 feet and it was traveling at a speeding axis of Mach 2.5 and ultimately Mach 3.
The total distance it travelled inside Pakistan was 124 km. From the total flight time of 6 minute 46 seconds till it hit the ground, it was in Pakistani territory for 3 minutes and 44 seconds.
The exercise is one of the largest annual Royal Air Force exercises and aims to train both pilots and other air specialists in planning and executing complex airborne missions…reports Asian Lite News
Amidst ongoing Russia-Ukraine War, the Indian Air Force has decided not to deploy its aircraft for Exercise Cobra Warrior 2022 in the United Kingdom.
Indian made Light Combat Aircraft Tejas was expected to participate in the military exercise, its debut in overseas war games.
In a statement, Indian Air Force said: “In light of the recent events, IAF has decided not to deploy its aircraft for Exercise Cobra Warrior 2022 in UK.”
The multi-nation air exercise ‘Ex Cobra Warrior 22’ at Waddington, UK was planned from March 6 to March 22.
The exercise was aimed at providing operational exposure and to share best practices amongst the participating Air Forces, thereby enhancing combat capability and forging bonds of friendship.
The exercise is one of the largest annual Royal Air Force exercises and aims to train both pilots and other air specialists in planning and executing complex airborne missions.
These exercises are, as per the RAF, “the most challenging training for aircrew and the final step for those seeking to qualify as Qualified Weapons Instructors (QWI), Qualified Multi-engine Tactics Instructors, QWI Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance and [for the] Qualified Space Instructors Course”.
On on February 23, IAF had said that five Tejas fighters would fly out to the United Kingdom. It was also a platform for LCA Tejas to demonstrate its manoeuvrability and operational capability.
Earlier this month, a 44-member contingent of Indian Air Force participated in the ‘Singapore Air Show-2022’ where the force showcased LCA Tejas capabilities.
The Air Show was held from February 15 to February 18. Singapore Air Show is a biennial event which provides a platform for the Global Aviation Industry to showcase their products.
