IAF chief takes a dig at his Pakistani counterpart

Indian Air Force chief Air Chief Marshal B S Dhanoa on Monday took a dig at his Pakistani counterpart Mujahid Anwar Khan over the latter's flight in a jet during the Pakistan National Day parade by leading the fly-past ceremony.

"Pakistani air chief was strapped into the rear cockpit…Look from where he was flying,” Dhanoa quipped in response to a query by reporters.

The IAF on Monday inducted four Chinook heavy-lift helicopters into its fleet of state-of-the-art airplanes here. Describing Chinook helicopters as the best in the category, Dhanoa said the induction of Chinook will be a game changer, the way the Rafale is going to be in the fighter fleet.

The helicopter has been named after the courageous and dignified American-Indian tribe, Dhanoa said. The aircraft has night vision capabilities.

“Our country faces a multitude of security challenges, we require vertical lift capability across a very diversified terrain..the IAF operates from bases which are from sea level to very high-altitude advance landing grounds. The helicopter will give the IAF quantum leap in terms of ability to transport cargo to precarious high-altitude locations,” Dhanoa said.

It’s a national asset, the chief added, highlighting that the all-weather capable aircraft can also be used for humanitarian and disaster relief operations and in missions such as transportation of relief supplies and as air ambulances.