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A Sukhoi Su-30 MKI of India Air Force lands at Dimapur airport during a routine training exercise on Wednesday. (Caisii Mao/EM Images)[/caption]
Eastern Mirror Desk
Dimapur, Oct. 16: Residents of Dimapur once again witnessed the Indian Air Force (IAF) fighter jets flying in and out of Dimapur airport in the past few days. As the planes soared, so did rumours but speculations have been put to rest by officials.
The director of Dimapur airport, Mughavi Zhimo informed Eastern Mirror that it was a routine air force exercise being carried out currently in various places, apart from Dimapur. He informed that the routine exercise is being carried out in Imphal and other parts of the country as well and is scheduled to go on till October 19.
Zhimo also said that the aeroplanes that were supplementary to the IAF exercises included transport carriers as well as fighter jets like the Sukhoi Su-30 MKI.
An IAF official also informed that a similar training and exercise will be carried out at Silchar on October 29. “These are nothing but annual practices and the public should not be worried,” the official said.
The official informed that such fighter jets of the IAF will never be used for conflict in its own territory; hence speculation on social media of an air strike is completely untrue.
Earlier in August, a similar routine was conducted where the IAF had also confirmed to Eastern Mirror that the aircrafts were indeed Sukhoi Su-30 MKI fighter jets of the IAF, and was part of their routine peacetime training exercise that takes place now and then.
“This is a regular practice carried out in all civil airfields to familiarise the aircrew and would be carried out in future also. Hence the public should not get worried by the sound it creates especially during take-off stage,” an IAF official had said.
The defence wing of the press information bureau also issued a press release in connection with the ongoing Eastern Air Command (EAC) exercise on October 16. According to the statement, the EAC has planned to conduct the exercise for its fighter operation from six airfields namely Dimapur, Imphal, Guwahati, Kolkata, Pasighat and Andal.
“The exercise will be conducted in two phases from October 16 to 19 (Guwahati, Imphal, Dimapur and Kolkata) in first phase and from October 29 to November 1 (Andal and Pasighat) in second phase as part of capability building and operational training for undertaking operations from dispersed locations in case of hostilities. The exercise will familiarise the IAF crew with the procedure of flying at these busy airfields and coordinate with civilian counterparts,” read the statement.
The exercise will help civilians working at these airfields familiarise themselves with military operations, it said. SU-30 MKI and Hawk 132 will be taking part in this exercise, it added.