The Tridents squadron, commonly known as the “Defender of the North,” has taken the position of the MiG-21 squadron at the Srinagar air base. India has stationed a squadron of modernised MiG-29 fighter jets at the Srinagar air base to counter both Pakistani and Chinese threats.
The Tridents squadron, also known as the ‘Defender of the North,’ has replaced the MiG-21 squadron at the Srinagar air base, which has traditionally been in charge of dealing with Pakistani threats.
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“Srinagar is located in the heart of the Kashmir valley, at a higher elevation than the plains.” Because of the close proximity to the border, it is preferable to station an aircraft with a higher weight-to-thrust ratio and shorter response time, as well as stronger avionics and long-range missiles. The MiG-29 meets all of these characteristics, thus we can engage the enemy on both fronts,” Indian Air Force pilot Squadron Leader Vipul Sharma told.
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India has stationed a squadron of modernised MiG-29 fighter jets at the Srinagar air base to counter both Pakistani and Chinese threats. The MiG-29s have several advantages over the MiG-21s, which have effectively defended their area of duty in Kashmir for many years.
The Tridents squadron, also known as the ‘Defender of the North,’ has replaced the MiG-21 squadron at the Srinagar air base, which has traditionally been in charge of dealing with Pakistani threats. Srinagar is located in the heart of the Kashmir valley, at a higher elevation than the plains. Because of the close proximity to the border, it is preferable to station an aircraft with a higher weight-to-thrust ratio and shorter response time, as well as stronger avionics and long-range missiles.
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The MiG 29s have several benefits over the MiG-21s, which have successfully defended their area of duty in the Kashmir valley for many years and also managed to shoot down an F-16 in 2019 following the Balakot air attacks on Pakistani terrorist facilities on their mainland. Following the improvements, the MiG-29 was also equipped with very long-range air-to-air missiles and air-to-ground armament, and it was also furnished with lethal equipment using the government’s emergency procurement powers granted to armed forces.
During times of conflict, the fighter aircraft have also been provided with the capability to jam the capabilities of enemy aircraft,” officials claimed. Squadron Leader Shivam Rana, another pilot, stated that the modified aircraft can fly at night with night vision goggles and has a longer range thanks to air-to-air refuelling capability.
“We’ve also added an air-to-ground armament that wasn’t there before.” “The aircraft’s greatest capability is the pilots who are handpicked by the Indian Air Force to serve on these aircraft,” he stated. The MiG-29s arrived at the Srinagar air base in January of this year and have flown extensively in the Kashmir valley as well as the Ladakh sector, where they would be among the first to respond to any Chinese airspace violations.
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