China upgrades air capability in Tibet, monitors Indian exercise

Sudhi Ranjan Sen 

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Chinese airfields in the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) that face India are being upgraded, security agencies have told South Block. South Block houses the Prime Minister's Office as well as the defence and foreign ministries. Importantly, security agencies have warned that "permanent hangers" too are being built in these airstrips. Permanent hangers or "blast pens" which protect aircraft on ground during an air raid are crucial in times of war for fighter operations. Senior defence ministry officials told India Today TV the airfields being upgraded include Hotan, Hoping and Lhasa -- the capital of Tibet. Permanent hangers are coming up in the Hoping airfield, security agencies have warned. The airstrip in Lhasa is being extended, "the construction will be completed soon", security agencies have told the government.

China has 14 airbases in the Lanzhou and Chengdu regions, which are opposite Ladakh, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim.

Of the 14, the key bases are Hoping, Bangda, Shiquanhe, Bayixincun and Kongka. There are two airfields in Lhasa. An additional four are also being readied which can be made operational quickly.

Many of these airfields are at an average height of 4,000 metre. Heights affect performance of aircraft. Planes operating out of these heights have to trade-off with fuel and payload.

China monitored IAF exercise Gagan Shakti:

Security agencies have told South Block that China monitored the recently concluded air exercise Gagan Shakti. The exercise simulated a scenario where India was almost simultaneously fighting Pakistan and China.

Security agencies have told New Delhi that China put up its surveillance aircraft -- TU 154 -- during the recent three-week-long exercise. The air wing of China's People's Liberation Army collected intelligence, and more than normal flying activity was observed over Lhasa-Gongga and Hotan airfields.

Indian advanced landing grounds ready:

As against the 14 Chinese airfields stringing India, India has also built advanced landing grounds (ALGs) along the border. Some of these ALGs are located in Zero, Tuting, Passighat and Mechuka. The landing strips of these ALGs have been strengthened and increased to accommodate heavy transporters like the US made C-130.