Panagarh air base to get C-130J Super Hercules craft by July end

The special tactical support aircraft C-130J Super Hercules is expected to arrive at the country's second hub for such aircraft at the Air Force Station Arjan Singh in Panagarh by the end of July.

It may be mentioned that the development comes when the standoff between India and China in Doka La near Bhutan tri-junction is continuing for three weeks now following an attempt of Chinese Army's construction party to build a road.

Though according to experts on international relations, the situation still does not hint at a battle, the arrival of C-130J at Panagarh is a major step in gradual strengthening of the base in the eastern front. A division of the Indian Army's new Mountain Strike Corps is also based at Pangarh. The arrival of the Super Hercules is going to add a new dimension to boost up the joint operation of the IAF and Indian Army's Mountain Strike Corps, designated as 17 corps, for the northern borders.

According to sources in Indian Air Force (IAF): "The first C-130J Super Hercules aircraft is expected to arrive by the end of July at Panagarh that is the country's second hub for a batch of six such aircrafts after Hindon near New Delhi."

"But we are yet to get the message on the numbers that how many out of six are going to arrive by the end of this month," sources said.

The Super Hercules is a "tactical aircraft" with special characteristics like its speed and stealth is meant for special operations. With a capacity of accommodating a large number of soldiers including combat troops or paratroopers, easy transportation of troops at a difficult terrain near bordering areas becomes possible using Super Hercules.

It may be mentioned that six Advanced Landing Grounds (ALGs) have been upgraded in North-East states and a huge ALG is coming up at Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh. The C-130J can carry out covert operations. Troops can land secretly from the aircraft at the bases situated close to the bordering areas and can march ahead as per the strategy.

The decision to make the Air Force Station Arjan Singh in Panagarh as the country's second hub for Super Hercules was announced on August 4 in 2015 and the setting up of the operations squadron complex for it at the Air Force station has been completed in March this year.