Video Editor: Ashutosh Bhardwaj
C-17 Globemaster transport aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) carried out a historic landing at Tuting Advanced Landing Ground (ALG) near the China border in Arunachal Pradesh on Tuesday, 13 March.
The flight crew included Group Captain K Rama Rao, Wing Commander Amiya Kant Patnaik, Wing Commander K Trivedi and Squadron Leader L Nayak. The landing ground is located only 30 km from China near the Line of Actual Control (LAC). The landing ground is challenging as it is located in the midst of high hills in a narrow valley. The mammoth C17 Globemaster could execute this mission flawlessly owing to its agile manoeuvrability.
The C-17, the largest aircraft with the Indian Air Force, has a capacity to carry 102 para-troopers and cargo such as tank and Armoured Security Vehicles, among others. The plane has a payload capacity of 77,520 kg.
On completion of trial-landing, the C17 carried out a mission airlifting operation load into the challenging airfield.
The drill carried out on Tuesday demonstrated C 17 aircraft's operational performance and capability of tactical air mobility of IAF. The landing comes at a time when Indian and Chinese military forces faced off each other for 72 days at Doklam in Bhutan last year.
The historic landing also comes after over a year when the Tuting ALG was upgraded on 30 December 2016 with a full-fledged runway along with all the associated facilities.
The strategic location of Tuting ALG will make it a launching pad for IAF operations as well as a facilitator to the administration in the management of border area.
The ALG will be used to bring in vital supplies from cities in Assam via fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters besides meeting challenges during natural calamities.
(With inputs from ANI)
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