Leh airbase not only served as the arterial base to keep Ladakh supplied but also for potential offensive ops. This thread traces attempts by IAF to have fighter aircraft operate from the 11,000ft AMSL Leh airfield since the 1960s.
What constitutes a challenging fighter landing? – elevated altitudes raise landing speeds, posing risks of tire bursts, damage, and increased wear, demanding lengthier runways. thinner air reduces engine thrust, resulting in longer takeoff distances and reduced payload capacity.
Due to use during the 1962 war, PSP runway at Leh started to disintegrate. IAF re-laid a permanent runway that was ready by Oct 63. 114 HU moved in April 64. But they were not alone, in the same month, Bhopindra Singh, CO 23 Sqn, landed a Gnat!
Bhopindra Singh was a Test Pilot (ETPS, UK). Had commanded AATU & was involved in the Gnat program. He was now CO of Panthers, the first sqn to convert to Gnats. Taking off from Ambala, he did three landings & refueled at Leh – The highest landing in the world by a fighter.
He was entrusted with the complicated and exacting task of high altitude trials on the Gnat aircaft. The task was hazardous in the absence of suitable data on which the behaviour of the aircraft could be pre-assessed at high altitudes. Despite this handicap, Wg Cdr Singh, with courage and professional skill, carried out the trials from one of the highest airfields located in treacherous mountainous terrain. The data collected as a result of the trials will have far reaching effect on the concept and future conduct of Fighter operations in the western sector.
On 15 Jan 67, A Canberra flown by PP Singh, MVC CO of 5 Sqn from Palam landed at Leh along with MC Kappen as Navigator. Shiv Dev Singh, AOC-in-C WAC, leading from the front was also in the cockpit for the historic moment.
The need for Canberra at Leh remains a mystery but could be furthering studies on fighter/ bomber performance or a message to the adversaries of the capabilities. While ac could take-off from airbases in plains, being able to land/take-off at Leh reduced Time-to-target.
Another landing of Gnats at Leh took place in June 72 when 2 Sqn, led by Johnny Greene. A Gnat was “cleaned up” & a small dett of men, one packed tail parachute, a starting trolley were sent to Leh. He did a recce, a few overshoots & did one low overshoot & landed at Leh.
In the subsequent days, a few other pilots of the sqn did the same, but the dett was called-off. It is interesting the IAF decided to have these experiments on the Gnat – Diminutive stature, low weight made it a safer choice- albeit not lower on skills!
It would take a good 12 years for the next landings – and it would rain fighters at Leh. In April 84, Ops Meghdoot (Siachen) was launched and IAF was tasked to be prepared for offensive Ops. And it would respond by having the first Hunter, MiG-21 and MiG-23BN/MF land at Leh.
First to Land on 3 May 1984 from Hashimara via Avantipur, were Hunters of 27 Sqn. Led by the CO, Wg Cdr Dange & his Flt Cdr, they did the usual routine of handling sortie, overshoots and finally land. A dett of 4 4 a/c formation of Hunters moved in on 10th May and conducted 38 sorties during the May/June period. Full story by JP Joshi himself.
Next show up was the MiG-21bis of 26 Sqn on 10 May 1984. Led by the CO, AK Talwar, they had the most trouble due to the highest landingg speeds amongst the fighters – Had to do two circuits to align approach, check hub and tyre speeds. A joint dett of 26 and 3 Sqn from Avantipur was mounted at Leh and carried out 13 sorties during May/June.
MiG-23 BN (SM-245) landed on 23 May 84. Led by AD Joshi, CO, 221 Sqn. AD Joshi would also make 221 Sqn the first to do armament trg at Toshe Maidan, Dummy dives at camp 6, and would lead to opening of the Kar Tso range. Full story by him here.
The next day on 24 May 1984, MiG-23MF of 223 sqn flown by its CO and Flt Cdr, Wg Cdr IJS Boparai and Sqn Ldr PS Guram landed at Leh. A few days later they took-off with Two R80 and One 23 mm gun and landed at Leh.
MiG-23 and Hunters would mount regular detts for the coming few years. Apr-June 85, 20 Sqn, “Thunderbolts” in its full livery landed at Leh (27 Sqn had converted to Jags). They would run a regular dett for a few years , enthralling the locals with displays at Leh too!
These detts were never easy on pilots, ground crew or technicians. Thinking out of box to solve unknown problems was the norm. Hunters for instance faced issues of starting up at Leh and it was solved by S/L Sharma. One of the many many stories of overcoming odds.
Nov 98 would see two a/c find themselves at leh for fighter Ops – Mig-29 from 223 Sqn and MiG-27s from 9 Sqn. W/C Sud and W/C Avtar Singh leading the charge. The MiG-29 would make it to Leh regularly thereafter, but MiG-27 found it tough to work up and would not return.
1984 to 1998 – The common link is Air Mshl VK Bhatia (Vir Chakra & Bar). He was with Dte of Off Ops in 84 & moved in as COO of Leh to oversee the ops. He would himself end up flying many sorties. In Nov 98, he would again help pilots.
Today, all frontline fighter a/c of the IAF has the capability to operate out of Leh, including at night. In fact in 2016, MiG-29s of 223 Sqn, ran their first dett out of Thoise! Leh has come a long way from the hairy days of its setup.
One unmissable pattern in all the landings since 1964 – True to the spirit of leading from the front – it was the CO of each sqn that did the first landing. always, putting himself in harms’ way and taking the most difficult task on himself. “Touch the sky with Glory”.
Originally published on Twitter
Leave a Reply