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IAF deploys jungle hunters to search for missing MIG-27
New Delhi, May 24: Jungle hunters mounted on elephants have been pressed into service by the IAF to scour a thick forest in North Bengal for the missing MIG-27 fighter which is feared to have crashed last week.
New Delhi, May 24: Jungle hunters mounted on elephants have been pressed into service by the IAF to scour a thick forest in North Bengal for the missing MIG-27 fighter
which is feared to have crashed last week.
With six days gone without any trace of the missing fighter, IAF authorities deployed the jungle hunters after the local people in Malbazar, halfway between Hashimara and
Bagdogra air bases, reported hearing a "loud thud" near the area on May 19, an IAF spokesman said here.
He said the IAF had also requisitioned the services of army commandos to carry out the search in the area. The aircraft on a short haul flight between the two airbases lost radio contact with the ground soon after take off from the Hashimara air base.
The spokesman said so far 55 search and rescue flights had been carried out by MI-8 helicopters and in addition Royal Nepalese choppers had carried out extensive search on the Nepalese side of the frontier without any result.
He said MIG-27 simulators were being inducted into the Hashimara air base by the middle of next year to help improve conversion training of pilots to the Russian ground attack fighter.
They also said extensive upgrades were being carried out in the aircraft by modernising its avionics and air frame at Hindustan Aeronautics, Bangalore. Officials said the effort was on to improve increase the all weather capability of the fighter.
Bureau Report
He said the IAF had also requisitioned the services of army commandos to carry out the search in the area. The aircraft on a short haul flight between the two airbases lost radio contact with the ground soon after take off from the Hashimara air base.
The spokesman said so far 55 search and rescue flights had been carried out by MI-8 helicopters and in addition Royal Nepalese choppers had carried out extensive search on the Nepalese side of the frontier without any result.
He said MIG-27 simulators were being inducted into the Hashimara air base by the middle of next year to help improve conversion training of pilots to the Russian ground attack fighter.
They also said extensive upgrades were being carried out in the aircraft by modernising its avionics and air frame at Hindustan Aeronautics, Bangalore. Officials said the effort was on to improve increase the all weather capability of the fighter.
Bureau Report