Fresh air space violation reveals Pak design
NEW DELHI, SETP. 10% Repeated air space violations by Pakistan’s jet war planes in the Kashmir sector reveals the Pakistani preparedness for a conflict with India
The latest violations took place on September 6 when three jets of Pakistan Air Force flew seven to eight miles inside the cease-fire line, southwest of the Naushera area of Kashmir. The planes went back on their own.
No Indian planes went to intercept them, but on Wednesday night the External Affairs Ministry had sent a strong protest note to Pakistan asking her to stop such air violations.
On July 20, too, two jets of the PAF had flown low over Srinagar airport without meeting any hindrance, either from the ground or air.
The planes that violated the Indian air space on September 6 were reported to be powerful Mirage-III fighter-bombers. This time, however, air-raid sirens were sounded at he airport and the planes turned back after crossing perhaps five miles on this side of the cease-fire line.
In July, after the matter had been taken up in Parliament, the Defence Minister, Mr. Ram, had announced that the Indian Air Force had been ordered to shoot down any intruding plane. (This was no new order, because the IAF had the order already to shoot down intruding planes, which refuse to obey its orders. In deed, it is a standing order.)
Low-flaying planes are difficult to spot in radar screens, Even then, on September 6, the planes seem to have been spotted by early warning posts. That is an improvement upon what the condition had been last July.
Again, it must also be considered that there is no absolute system of preventing jet intrusions by a few miles because of the speed of the planes concerned.
After planes are spotted and the information is relayed to the Relevant IAF centre, it will be too late to meet the intruders even if the “scramble” order is immediately passed on to intercept them.
Reference: Hindustan Standard 11.9.1971