IAF eastern chief reviews readiness at Bengal bases

Kolkata: Indian Air Force (IAF) bases in West Bengal will continue to remain operationally prepared to meet any challenge. Over the last two days, Air Marshal R D Mathur, air officer commanding-in-chief, Eastern Air Command, visited

IAF

stations Kalaikunda and Salua in West Midnapore and Arjan Singh in Panagarh, Burdwan, to review the situation and meet senior officials.

“The IAF commander appreciated air warriors at all locations for undertaking operational commitments and peacetime tasks effectively and efficiently. He emphasised the need for focussed operational training, readiness and measures to enhance operational capabilities for a quick response to the rapidly changing threat scenario. The Air Marshal also flew a sortie in a Hawk trainer aircraft at AFS Kalaikunda where young pilots receive their Stage-III training. He also congratulated the dozen pilots, including a woman, who have just completed their fighter conversion training there,” a senior IAF official said.

Both AFS Kalaikunda and AFS Arjan Singh are crucial for maintenance of stability along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Sikkim. Though Kalaikunda is a training base and hosts foreign air forces for international exercises during peacetime, nearly all kinds of fighter aircraft can be based there. In fact, squadrons keep on visiting Kalaikunda for practice sessions at the ground firing and bombing range at nearby Dudhkundi and demarcated air-to-air firing range over the Bay of Bengal.

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