By IANS,
Hindon (Ghaziabad) : The Indian Air Force (IAF) is considering deploying combat planes at the air base here to provide air defence cover to the capital.
Replying to a query after the Air Force Day parade here, IAF chief Air Chief Marshal Norman Anil Kumar Browne told reporters that Hindon would be the home for those combat planes, as it is the closest fighter base from the national capital.
“Since Hindon is the closest base, it could actually be the right place to base the air-defence fighters,” he said.
Asked about the type of combat plane that would be deployed, Browne said: “Whether it would be Sukhois or MMRCA (Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft) class … that decision is not yet taken. But certainly, these would be highly-capable air-defence fighters.”
Hindon, a designated fighter base, is at present the home base for IAF’s newly acquired C-130J special operations transport aircraft.