IAF Chief reviews operational preparedness in Western Air Command, flies MiG-21 Bison

The Air Chief Marshal Bhadauria had visited Ladakh and Srinagar air bases in June.

Amid the growing tensions between India and China along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), on Thursday, the Indian Air Force (IAF) chief RKS Bhadauria visited the frontline Western Air Command and flew the MiG-21 aircraft. The visit was primarily undertaken to review the operational preparedness, just as the Indian side gets ready for the long winter along the LAC.

The Air Chief also flew a MiG-21 Bison fighter aircraft, a signal that the forces are in a state of high preparedness and at the end of the flight, he had an interaction with the senior air warriors, at the Western Air Command. “His flying a sortie on MiG-21 Bison indicates the high operational readiness of the force amid the tension with China over territorial issues” said, officials.

All the IAF airbases under the Western Air Command is at a high level of readiness in view of the growing tensions along the LAC which on Wednesday (Aug 12, 2020) completed 100 days in Eastern Ladakh.

The Importance of Western Air Command

This command is very important as it takes care of the Aerial Defence of the Ladakh Sector where the tensions are growing between India and China.

More about MiG -21 Bison

It is a single-engine and single-seater multirole fighter aircraft.

It is of Russian origin and for several decades has been considered as the backbone of IAF.

It has played a very critical role in the 1971 Indo-Pak War.

Review of the Operational Preparedness

Recently, the Vice Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal Harjit Singh Arora had visited a number of airbases along the LAC in eastern Ladakh. The visit was undertaken to review the IAF’s Operational preparedness in the region. And he had also made a visit to the world’s highest airstrip at an altitude of 16,600 ft, which is located strategically in Daulat Beg Oldie.

The Air Chief Marshal Bhadauria had visited Ladakh and Srinagar air bases in June and it was to review the IAF’s preparedness.

As has been reported earlier, in the last couple of months, the IAF has deployed all its fighter jets including Su-30 MKI, Jaguar, and Mirage-2000 in the key airbases along the LAC and in Ladakh.