IAF Chief RKS Bhadauria undertakes sortie in Apache attack helicopter

Indian Air Chief RKS Bhadauria undertakes sortie in a newly-inducted Apache attack helicopter at Western Air Command Airbases. He visited airbases under the Western Air Command on November 17 & 18 and interacted with the air squadrons serving at the bases. He also reviewed the operational preparedness of the fighter squadrons there. The Apache helicopter is highly equipped for reconnaissance, security, peacekeeping operations, and lethal attack in various environments and weather conditions. The IAF had to deploy its assets including Apache and Chinook at forward bases on Ladakh during the border tensions between India and China. The Indian Air Force had received the delivery of all new AH-64E Apache and CH-47F(I) Chinook military helicopters on July 10 when the last five of the 22 Apache helicopters were handed over to the IAF at the Hindon Air Force Station. During the ongoing flare-up between Indian and Chinese forces along the Line of Actual Control, the central government has pressed the Apache attack helicopters, along with the Sukhoi 30 MKI fighter jets, to track the movement of People Liberation Army troops, while the CH-47 Chinook helicopters have been mobilised to provide logistics support to the Indian Army.