In an effort to counter China's growing military might, the Indian Air Force (IAF) will develop Nyoma airfield in ladakh into a full-fledged air base capable of handling all types of planes, including fighter jets.
India is also fast developing seven advanced landing grounds (AlG) with night flying facilities in the North-East, IAF chief Air Chief Marshal NAK Browne said on Friday, adding these AlGs will cater to small and big transport planes besides helicopters. The IAF operationalised Nyoma airfield, which is located at a height of 13,000 feet in south-east ladakh near Chushul, by landing an AN-32 medium lift transport plane in 2010.
The IAF has now sent a proposal worth over Rs 2,000 crore to convert it into an airbase for all types of fighter jets to land and take off, Browne said. The proposal is expected to come up for discussion in the Cabinet meeting next month. If cleared, the IAF will need four to five years to develop Nyoma, he said here during the annual Press conference ahead of the IAF's 81st anniversary.
Elaborating upon this project of strategic importance, Browne said the proposed airbase will also have provision for stationing fighter jets and this base will provide all logistical help to Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and ladakh Scouts operating in remote areas. Incidentally, Nyoma is also located a few hundred kilometers from China's strategic road linking Tibet with Xinjiang.
As regards another strategically important airfield Daulat Beg Oldie, which saw a stand-off between India and Chinese troops for more than 20 days in April-May this year, Browne said the newly-acquired C-130Js from the US are landing there since July. They have undertaken more than six sorties carrying logistical supplies for the Indian Army and ITBP jawans.
He said Daulat Beg Oldie, located at a height of nearly 17,000 feet, is one of the toughest airfields in the world and "our aircraft operate at the edge of the performance envelope" there. "These sorties in C-130Js have really trained our air and ground crew to operate in such a challenging environment," the IAF chief said.
The troops posted there are exclusively sustained through air supplies. The IAF operates AN-32s and now C-130Js there till October after which the snow covers the airfield making it difficult for sorties. Moreover, due to lack of oxygen at those heights, the aircraft engines come under tremendous strain and test the flying skills of the pilots while landing and taking off.
On the project related to the seven AlGs, Browne said most of these fields had been lying unused for many years till the IAF started upgrading them two years ago. The Government granted Rs 720 crore for this project and all the AlGs will be capable of operating 24X7 by 2016.
These AlGs, as of now, can handle only helicopters, but once upgraded, will enable AN-32s and C-130Js to land there, thereby ensuring year round logistical supplies to troops guarding the line of Actual Control facing China in Arunachal Pradesh.