Sukhoi jets will roar into NE skies from next week

Last Updated: Friday, November 06, 2009, 14:47

Tags: Sukhoi, fighter jets, North East

Tezpur: Sukhoi fighter jets will start flying in the skies of the northeastern region from next week.

According to defence officials, around six aircraft of the warplane's MKI variant have reached Tezpur air base in Assam a few days ago and a full complement of the warplanes is expected to arrive by the year end.

Flight training and operational sorties of the aircraft are likely to begin early next week and preparations were on in this regard, they said, adding that besides Tezpur, a full squadron of Sukhoi fighter jets would also be deployed at Chabua base in eastern Assam subsequently.

The IAF was also contemplating to deploy another squadron at Bagdogra air base in West Bengal, the officials said.

The Su-30s had operated from Tezpur air base when they were formally inducted in the base on June 15. Since then, the air base which has been upgraded to house the jets was also opened for civil aviation.

Bureau Report

First Published: Friday, November 06, 2009, 14:47

Comments

mad_rass - chennai
this is an important step which i was expecting from the time the Chinese govt opened their new air base in Tibet. border security is an important issue which India has always faced, all thanks to our neighbours. stationing sukhoi jets in that area can give us a little bit amount of peace especially when the chinese are on the full swing to control the south asian territory. moreover one can never forget how fragile the indo-china ties are owing to the arunachal pradesh issues.