IAF can carry out bombings in all-weather conditions: Dhanoa

NEW DELHI: The IAF is prepared to fight across the entire spectrum of warfare, be it punitive retaliation to a terrorist attack, a skirmish like the Kargil conflict or an all-out war, said Air Chief Marshal B S Dhanoa on Tuesday .
Speaking at a function to mark the 20th anniversary of the Kargil conflict with Pakistan, the IAF chief said his force now has the capability to carry out precision bombings.
"In case required, we can do all-weather bombing even through clouds very accurately. We have seen an attack carried out on February 26 (Balakot airstrike) that shows we are capable of carrying out precision strikes from stand-off distances very accurately," said ACM Dhanoa.
This precision-bombing capability was limited only to the Mirage-2000 fighters during the Kargil conflict. Now, it is also available on Sukhoi-30MKIs, Jaguars, MiG-29s and MiG-27s, with IAF having the capability to conduct bombing from long distances in all-weather conditions. The IAF has also enhanced its reach and endurance through air-to-air refuelling aircraft, fire-and-forget beyond visual range missiles and eyes in the sky in the shape of AWACS .