Eastern Air Command starts fighter operations from 6 civilian airports

ITANAGAR, Oct 16: The Eastern Air Command started a fighter plane operations exercise from six civilian airfields in its area of operations, including Pasighat in Arunachal Pradesh from Wednesday, a defence release said.
The other airfields hosting the exercise are Kolkata and Andal in West Bengal, Dimapur in Nagaland, Imphal in Manipur, Guwahati in Assam.
The exercise is a part of capability build-up and operational training from dispersed locations in case of hostilities and would be held in two phases, Kohima based defence PRO Lt Col Sumit Sharma said.
It is being held in Guwahati, Imphal, Dimapur and Kolkata airports in the first phase between 16 and 19 October, while Andal and Pasighat will host the exercise in the second phase from 29 October to 1 November, it said.
The Indian Air Force will use SU-30 MKi multi- role air superiority fighters and Hawk 132 jets
in the exercise. The exercise aims at familiarising the IAF crew with the procedure of flying at these busy airfields, the official said.
The exercise will also help in familiarising the civilian functionaries at these airfields in the conduct of military operations.