‘While the crew were commended for their professionalism and gallantry on these missions, what needs to be commended is the selection of the aircrew and their specialized training’. Photo Credit: PTI
121 Indians evacuated from Wadi SidnaThe use of C-130J Super Hercules of the Indian Air Force (IAF) in the dark of night north of Khartoum in Sudan has drawn widespread appreciation. The IAF’s press release is an understatement of the stupendous work done on the night of April 27-28, but a subtle kudos to the personnel involved. And let us not forget the steed he flew, the C-130J, and the foresight of the Indian Air Force and national leadership at the turn of the century to plan the purchase of this aircraft, given the growing stature and responsibilities of the nation, An excellent enabler. There is also a need to acknowledge the acquisition of another aircraft, the C-17 Globemaster heavy lift aircraft, for the IAF.
The Wadi Sidna mission will soon be forgotten and it is fitting that the reader is able to get some idea of how the special operations capability has progressed, and what needs to be taken care of as it develops further.
effect of kandahar
During the ‘Kandahar’ incident of December 24, 1999, when an Indian Airlines flight IC-814 from Kathmandu to New Delhi was hijacked – it ended on December 31, 1999 – I met Air Chief Marshal A.K. why. was with Tipnis in Israel on 24 December when the chief’s mobile phone rang; The Vice Chief was with the news that IC-814 had been hijacked and landed at Amritsar, a civilian airfield. We all know how standard operating procedures did not work after that and the plane eventually landed in Kandahar, Afghanistan, leading to the release of the dreaded terrorists.
Could India have mounted a defense like the famous Israeli defense at Entebbe, Uganda in July 1976? Here, Israeli commandos flew to Uganda and in difficult conditions stormed a hijacked Air France jet. The will was certainly there, but for two major constraints – the presence of Pakistan, whose territory could not be overrun and no IAF aircraft that could undertake a very risky mission to avoid Pakistani airspace, Entering Afghanistan from the south and returning without refueling.
Afghanistan Rescue Mission
Enter the C-130J in the IAF’s list, and we now have this capability if the political leadership decides to intervene in a critical situation where national interest and prestige are at stake. There have been two other missions prior to the Sudan rescue that are known in the open domain. The first was the evacuation of Indian Embassy personnel from Herat in Afghanistan in April 2020. The plane had taken off from India and its engines were still running after landing; Garud commandos of the Indian Air Force stood guard while the diplomatic staff left.
The second mission, from Kabul on August 20, 2021, was equally high-risk; one had videos of the evacuation by the United States and the fiasco that ensued was going viral. The airspace was uncontrolled and the ground situation chaotic, for lack of a better word. There were a large number of aircraft in the air and the pilots had to avoid them and use night vision goggles when landing; The only call they received from ground controllers was the line, “Land at your own risk” (a phrase engraved on the shoulder patches that squadron crews wear on their flying overalls).
While the crew on these missions were awarded for their professionalism and gallantry, what must be commended is the selection of the aircrew and their specialized training.
The crew also faced a number of problems in terms of the Sudan rescue. Intelligence was poor and the runway was rough, with no landing aids. He only had top-class onboard aircraft instrumentation such as synthetic runway generation on the heads-up display, electro-optical night vision capability, night vision goggles, and of course, immense confidence in his ability to pull it off.
essence of special ops
Special operations stick and throttle operation, night vision goggles and much more than dark knights. Each member of such a mission carries the prestige of a nation on his shoulders. He is the ‘strategic corporal’ of India. US Marine Corps General Charles C. The term, coined by Krulak, refers to the fact that in modern warfare, even the actions of the enlisted individual on the front lines have a strategic impact on the nation’s policies; And that institutional training should cater for this. When it comes to failure, the failed hostage rescue attempt by the Americans from Iran in 1980 or the photo of Gary Powers in USSR custody when his U-2 was shot down in 1960 are reminders of the loss of face for the US. . The breakthrough, which brought fame to America, was the elimination of Osama bin Laden in a special forces raid. Thus, every such operation has a non-military intangible element to be met by a young officer or a corporal who is far from his base. It is true that this ethos and training in the IAF’s Special Operations Forces should not be diluted by the temptation to send the versatile C-130s for routine tasks and VIP carriage.
The IAF’s C-130J Special Ops squadrons (there are two) call themselves the ‘Veeld Vipers’ and the ‘Raiding Raptors’. It is up to the leadership to ensure that their sting remains potent.
Air Vice Marshal Manmohan Bahadur VM (Retd) is the former Additional Director General of the Center for Air Power Studies