The Indian Air Force (IAF) has reportedly installed the SPYDER Missile along with the homemade Akash surface-to-air missile (SAM) with a range of 30 km as part of strategic planning for a double layer tactic to guard critical resources and locations in the country, the Eurasia Times reported Tuesday.
"As
part of the ongoing build-up in the sector, the air defense systems of both
Indian Army and the Indian Air Force have been deployed in the sector to
prevent any misadventure by the Chinese Air Force fighter jets or the People's
Liberation Army choppers there," government sources were quoted as saying.
The deployment of Akash Air Defense System comes after China reportedly increased its fighter jets and helicopter activities along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), de facto border of India and China, the paper said.
Akash is India's first indigenously developed medium-range surface to air missile that can engage multiple targets from various directions. The all-weather missile can engage targets at a speed 2.5 times more than the speed of sound and can detect, track and destroy targets flying at low, medium and high altitudes.
The Israeli Missile can provide air defense for fixed assets and for point and area defence for mobile forces in combat areas fitted on either Tatra Trucks or Scania P-series truck, according to Eurasia Times.
According to Hindustan Times, the Indian Air Force and the Indian Army have deployed their air defense systems in eastern Ladakh as the People's Liberation Army Air Force has activated several of its bases in both Xinjiang and the Tibet Autonomous Region with Chinese fighter jets regularly making a show of strength in the Aksai Chin area, said the first official cited above.
Apart from Sukhoi-30s and upgraded MiG-29 fighter jets, the IAF is operating Apache AH-64E attack helicopters and CH-47F (I) Chinook multi-mission helicopters --- both imported from the United States --- in the region.
The Indian Army has deployed its new US-origin M777 ultra-light howitzers, which can provide accurate artillery fire support in mountainous terrain, in eastern Ladakh, said officials. The 155 mm/39-caliber M777 howitzers can be sling-loaded to helicopters and swiftly deployed to high-altitude areas. India ordered 145 howitzers from the United States for $750 million in November 2016. The howitzers have a range of 24-30 km.
Indian Air Force to buy SPICE-2000 bombs from Israel,
Amid tensions with China, India Today TV reported Tuesday that India is going to acquire more Israeli SPICE-2000 bombs, which were earlier used in the airstrikes in Balakot, Pakistan.
"The SPICE-2000 bombs will give us the capability to take out ground targets from a stand-off distance and also to take out bunkers and buildings," government sources told India Today TV. The bombs would be in addition to the ones acquired last year from Israel, the sources said.
SPICE-2000 is used on French-origin Mirage-2000 jets and has been acquired by IAF for use against fortified and underground command centres.
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