Saturday, February 14, 2015

IAF in Kargil Op Safed Sagar

IAF in Kargil Op Safed Sagar


Legendary MiG 21 armed with R 77 Radar Guide Missile



      Operation Safed Sager is a Code Name of IAF's Attack missions on Bakistani Positions during the Kargil war 1999. The IAF insisted to Provide as much as Support to the Ground Forces to recapture Bakistani postilions along Indian Side. It's the first time since 1971 war Indian Air force  taken a large scale attack on Bakistani positions.

        The Bakistani troops intruded in most stretched area's of Kargil sector which is not easy to go by foots. also the Bakistani have good artillery support to keep their Troops there in the Positions. hence the Army need and Air operation to toast them out.

         IAF asked the Cabinet committee to support the Army on May 11 using with only rotary wing aircraft such as attack helicopters. Indian Air force operated Russian supplied Mi 24 hind dedicated attack helicopter  and Mi 17 modified to carry rocket pods since it's a troop transporter. IAF start using the Helicopters to fight against the intruders. ten days later IAF's canberra is on Photo Recon mission over the Line of Control. the Bakistani's fired a US supplied Stinger Missile. they fired a Single missile that hit the one engine. Canberra back to the Base with using the another engine. that fueled the Air force to use the Fighters in the Game. the Cabinet committee also given green signal to the IAF carryout attack with all available Jets.  The Airforce used the Sri nagar airport to launch the fighters. since it's a civil airport GoI give authorization to IAF to use it.

     within the minuets IAF  assigned a Strike role consists of MiG 27 Ground Attack Fighter covered by MiG 21 interceptor. the Mig 27 carried Bombs and Rocket Pods rained missiles all over the Bakistani Positions without crossing the LoC. while the MiG 21 keep an eye over the air looking for Enemy intruders. and again the Attack helicopters carryout multiple Attacks over Bakistani positions near Tiger Hill.

    next day May 27 Air force carried out same package again. this time Bakistani's are up and shoot downed a Mig 21 and MiG 27 using with Stinger MANPADS. later another Troop transporter also hit by an MANPAD killing all crew. IAF learned a Lesson of due to the MANPAD threats in low altitudes IAF withdrawn all helicopters from the Operation.

      later The Israeli's joined the IAF team by providing Lethal LGB's (Laser Guided bomb's). which is suddenly integrated with Mirage 2000 fleet. the IAF also bring it's top notch that is Bombing role by Mirage 2000 and Escort Role by MiG 29. the Mirage dropped 100kg Laser Guided Bombs and 250 Kg Dumb bomb over the bakistani positions for next consecutive days. The Mirage provided excelled fire support to the Indian Army troops to advance Bakistani Positions also the Mig 29 pinned entire PAF jets keep in the Grounds.

    End of May the IAF send an Mig 27 for photo recon mission which is heavily hit by enemy ground fire. since engines are out pilot ejected from the Aircraft but landed on enemy Controlled area. the IAF suddenly launched a MiG 21 to track the ejected pilot. but his fighter also struck by an enemy MANPAD. a stinger missile brought down the Mig 21. the enemy captured the Pilot later executed by Bakistani Army. violating Geneva convention of war.   

     The next day again the air force lost an Mi-17 Helicopter to a manpad  near Tololing, killing four.it's completely a chaos for the Airforce suddenly withdraw all flying wings who can't able to do missions in the Height of 33,000 feet which is vulnerable to the enemy MANPADS.  the IAF stricted to use only with the High altitude Best Performers the mirage and Mig 29. they carryout missions through only these aircraft till the end of Kargil war. after those loss IAF didn't loss any other Planes in the Combat.

        During the Air force Missions the Bakistan used it's F 16's to provide CAP over the Bakistani Territory. but they are too close to the Indian Line of Control. once a MiG 29 for IAF's Black Archers Sqn  on a escort mission they found two F 16 patrolling over the Bakistani area'. the Mig's equipped with deadly R 77 BVR for escort missions. when the found the F 16 they tried to lock it on their Fire Control radar. they achieved too. now those two F 16's under BVR Lock by the MiG 29. IAF insisted do not engage any aircraft flying outer Indian Border. thus saves the Bakistani Fighters to give second life.

 Sooner the Bakistani's identified the IAF's doctrine of Combat which forced them to do not carry out or launch mission with their Fighter Fleet. the entire PAF in silent during the Kargil war. 


IAF Mirage 2000 and Mig 29 heading towards Target Positions





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