As India and China continue to hold meetings at military and diplomatic levels, the Indian Air Force has deployed AH-64E Apache attack helicopters and MiG-29 fighter aircraft in the Ladakh region. The tension between two nuclear-armed stated suddenly increased after India lost 23 soldiers in a scuffle at the LAC which started after the Indian Army removed and burned down the tents installed by PLA. The PLA also reported causalities but the numbers have not been made public by the PLA. Apache helicopter and MiG-29 were today seen carrying out routine sorties in this region assumes significance against the backdrop of the ongoing conflict between India and China at the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
Here are the capabilities of Apache Helicopter
The Boeing AH-64 Apache is an American twin-turboshaft attack helicopter with a tail wheel-type landing gear arrangement. Apache is loaded with fire-and-forget Hellfire missiles and can track up to 128 targets a minute and prioritize threats. Moreover, missiles equip the gunships with heavy anti-armor capabilities.
Owing to the good maneuverability, these choppers are competent enough for a nap-of-the-earth flight, that is flying at a very low-altitude flight in order to avoid enemy detection. This will make it easy for the pilots to escape an attack in a high-threat environment like the India Pakistan border and along the LAC facing China.
The choppers have been bought under the US foreign military sales program, Washington's government-to-government method for selling US-built platforms. All the choppers are expected to be delivered by 2022.
MiG-29 Fighter Aircraft
Designed by the former the Soviet Union, the Mikoyan MiG-29 is a twin-engine jet fighter aircraft was induction into the IAF in 1985. The aircraft were manufactured to combat enemy planes but over the years it has been upgraded as a multirole fighter capable of performing a number of different operations.
Its utility includes the launch of air-to-surface armaments and precision munitions, conduct dogfight in aerial operations. MiG-29 has also been upgraded with India centric requirements including the addition of new avionics, sub-systems, turbofan engines, and radars.
