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| New IAF airfield to be reopened in east Ladakh |
| Press Trust Of India / New Delhi Apr 07, 2009, 01:20 IST |
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After successfully reopening Daulat Beg Oldi and Fuk Che airfields in Ladakh last year, India is now working aggressively to operationalise the Neoma Advanced Landing Ground (ALG) this year for the Indian Air Force (IAF), close to the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China.
Though these airfields are being revived to support troop movement in times of need, India would prefer these to be ready for future tourism requirements. In due course, the airfield at Neoma will also be converted into a full-fledged runway to cater to future tourist inflow.
“This new ALG is coming up at Neoma in east Ladakh, which will, in all probability, be converted into a full-fledged runway, like any other runway, to cater to the future tourism requirements in the region,” IAF’s Western Air Command Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Air Marshal P K Barbora said here today.
Neoma is not as close to the LAC as Daulat Beg Oldi or Fuk Che are, but it will be close enough to support military operations too. The airfields were operated by the Indian armed forces during the 1962 Sino-Indian war, but closed a few years later.
“Not as close (to China) as DBO, Chushul or Fuk Che. But it is in a pretty comfortable place,” Barbora said.
Work on the Neoma airfield has already started and the IAF is preparing the ALG to operate fixed-wing aircraft.
Regarding the IAF’s original plans to reopen the Chushul airfield in the Ladakh region, Barbora said the idea has been shelved for the moment, but it could be revived as and when the government wanted the ALG operationalised.
Giving reasons for the government decision, the Air Marshal said the IAF felt it was not required now because of the road connectivity that has come up there, and because of the amount of money and work that would go into preparing the airfield for operation.
“Whenever there is a requirement, we can and will prepare the Chushul airfield. Also, the amount of work that has to be fitted in to get it ready is not worth it. We already have done landing and take-off at Daulat Beg Oldi and Fuk Che,” he added.
When Neoma gets ready, it would be the IAF’s third ALG in Ladakh to be reopened nearer to the Chinese and Pakistani borders in the last one year in Jammu and Kashmir, with Daulat Beg Oldi and Fuk Che becoming operational in May and November, respectively.
The IAF has been reopening airfields to strengthen its air maintenance operations and promotion of tourism in the region, which is the gateway to the highest battlefield, Siachen Glacier.
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