Article Posted on : - Feb 17, 2009

The top of the line fighter jets ranging from Sukhoi-30 MKI, Mirage-2000 and Jaguars would cover the entire stretch of the peninsular air space

NEW DELHI (BNS): The Indian Air Force fighter jets will carry out extensive maneuvers around India’s southern peninsula in an exercise to secure the region from probable enemy attacks.

The exercise comes a few days after IAF chief Air Chief Marshal Fali Homi Major said in Bangalore that his force was beefing up presence in southern India for securing the area. Among the worries of IAF for the region are the capabilities of LTTE, the Tamil rebels who are steadily losing ground in Sri Lanka, and possible sea-borne raids similar to Mumbai attacks.

During the exercise, named Dakshin Prahar, the civil traffic will not be disrupted, as the IAF will practice the concept of flexi airspace, senior air force officers said.

This is the second such exercise in south India. The IAF officials have admitted huge air defence gaps in the southern peninsula and the exercise, beginning on February 18, was an attempt to firm up the security environment.

During the exercise, the IAF fighter jets will carry out their manoeuvres without disrupting the civil air traffic. The practice is new as earlier civil air traffic would be restricted whenever the IAF exercises were held.

The IAF officials said Dakshin Prahar was all about cooperation with Airport Authority of India. The top of the line fighter jets ranging from Sukhoi-30 MKI, Mirage-2000 and Jaguars would cover the entire stretch of the peninsular air space.

They would also perform drills for the protection of offshore installations on the east coast and Lakshadweep and Minicoy Islands in the south west. Transport fleet of AN-32s, Avro and Mi-8 helicopters would back the fighters. The IL-78 refuellers would be placed in a strategic manner so that the fighters can cover the entire stretch of peninsula without having to go back to ground for refuelling.

"The aircraft would practice modern tactics in carefully crafted corridor in coordination with the Airport Authority of India (AAI) so that civil and military air operations can be conducted smoothly and simultaneously," said an IAF statement.

"The air exercises of this nature not only increases the operational preparedness of the IAF but also strengthens the process of coordination between AAI and the IAF," said Air Marshal S Radhakrishnan, AOC-in-C of southern air command.

The experiment of flexi airspace was held for the first time last year where civil officials were present in the planning exercise across the length and breadth of peninsula India.