The integration of targeting pods and laser-guided bombsystem for the Mirage 2000 aircraft for the Kargil war was done in a recordtime of 12 days, Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa said Monday.
Dhanoa was speaking at an event at the Gwalior air base tocommemorate 20 years of the Kargil war.
“Modification to the Mirage 2000 was in process andexpedited, and system was brought in place for the Kargil War,” the IAFchief said.
“The integration of Litening targeting pod andlaser-guided bomb system was done in a record time of 12 days,” the IAFchief said.
He also said deploying Mirage 2000 jets and air support toground forces turned the tide of the 1999 war.
On the Balakot air strike and subsequent events, the IAFchief said, “Pakistan did not enter our airspace, we hit the terror campsand it failed to target our army bases.”
To a question on the recent crash of an IAF AN-32 aircraftin Arunachal Pradesh, Dhanoa said, “AN-32 aircraft will continue to fly inmountainous areas. We don’t have any replacement.”
“We are in process of getting more modern aircraftwhich will be put in critical role once received, and AN-32 will be out andused for transport and training purposes,” he said.All 13 air-warriors on board the transportaircraft died in the crash in a heavily forested mountainous area in ArunachalPradesh this month.