TIL Desk/National/New Delhi/ Amid tensions with China, the Indian Air Force carried out night time combat air patrols over the Eastern Ladakh sector. The Indian Air Force carried out intensive night operations involving its fighter aircraft including the MiG-29 and Sukhoi-30MKI along with its Apache attack helicopters and the Chinook heavy-lift helicopters.
Notwithstanding the strong winds and the chilling weather, the ground crew and pilots flew using even very small windows when the wind speed is low. Explaining the significance of night time operations, senior fighter pilot Group Captain A Rathi deployed at the forward base said, “Night operations have an inherent element of surprise.
Indian Air Force is fully trained and ready to undertake an entire spectrum of operations in any environment with the help of modern platforms and highly motivated personnel.” At the forward airbase near the China border, the first to take off were the lethal Apache attack helicopters. The pilots of the Apache choppers could be seen flying with their night vision goggles which allows them to navigate through the mountains around the airbase and the dark night.
