IAF starts fighter operations drill using three civilian airports

Kolkata: In a major wartime preparedness drill the Indian Air Force has launched a two-day fighter aircraft operational exercise with its topline jets: SU-30s using three major civilian airports under its Eastern Air Command (EAC) from Wednesday morning.

The three civilian airports are Kolkata and Andal in Durgapur in West Bengal and Guwahati in Assam. According to sources, all the SU-30 aircrafts took off from Chhabua air base in Assam to take part in the drill which is taking place after a gap of 2-3 years in EAC area of responsibility (AoR).

While the total number of aircrafts is not clear till the reports last came in, four aircrafts are operating from Kolkata, sources revealed. After finishing the morning sorties, they will conduct another round at night and on Thursday, sources disclosed.

EAC spokesperson Wing Commander Ratnakar Singh said that the SU30s are operting and validating the fighter aircraft operations from major civil airfields in  it's AoR. In view of this, SU-30s are operating from Guwahati and Kolkata and Durgapur on May 1-2, he added.

Wg Cdr Singh elaborated, "The significance of the emergency exercise is focussed on training of the pilots and crew to operate from airfields other than the planned fighter bases so that in case of any eventuality they are trained to shift the operating base quickly and carry out the operations."