The Southern Theatre Being Formed In Earnest With Eye On Indian Ocean Region
With growing movement of the Chinese Navy within the Indian Ocean Region, the neglected Southern Theatre of India is now being strengthened slowly but surely. After all the first of the Europeans had started their nefarious activities in India from the Southern Coast only.
Now the Indian Air Force is going to make Air Force Station (AFS) Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu the base for the resurrected 222 Squadron with its Sukhoi-30 MKI fighters.
This will be the second frontline fighter squadron of the Indian Air Force to be based in South India and will have the most potent platform capable of long reach and multi-role capabilities.
The AFS Sulur near Coimbatore is home to No 45 Squadron Flying Daggers, operating the Light Combat Aircraft Tejas.
The new Sukhoi squadron will be formally inducted into the Indian Air Force during the second week of January. The move gives a major fillip to Indian Air Force strike power within the Indian Ocean region (IOR) and also provide full air cover to the Indian Navy. The surveillance cover has already increased with the P8I Long Range Strategic Maritime Surveillance aircrafts.
The Indian Air Force has officially announced the resurrection of the 222 Squadron—The Tigersharks—on January 1 with the Sukhois. The squadron was originally raised on September 15, 1969 with another the Su-7 fighter bombers, and later replaced with the MiG-27 ground-attack aircraft. In 2011, The Tigersharks were then number-plated after retirement of the MiG 27s.
The AFS Thanjavur was dedicated to the nation on May 27, 2013, with the primary aim of strengthening the air defence capabilities under Southern Air Command (SAC), headquartered in Thiruvananthapuram.
The station is being upgraded to protect various strategic and economic assets in the southern peninsula and sea lines of communication in the Indian Ocean region.
The airbase was originally built by the Royal Air Force in 1940 and operated the Hudson, Wellington 1C, Hurricane and Thunderbolt aircraft. These erstwhile platforms were active in anti-shipping, anti-submarine patrol and transport operations.
Post reactivation of AFS Thanjavur by then defence minister A.K. Antony in 2013, the Indian Air Force’s plans to position a full-fledged Sukhoi squadron took a beating following the non-availability of the frontline fighters in desired numbers.
