IAF Flies Chinook Helicopters To Daulat Beg Oldi At Night As Chinese Presence Across LAC Increases

In a major development, the Indian Air Force (IAF) flew its top-notch heavy-lift capable Chinook helicopters to the Daulat Beg Oldi (DBO), which is situated at a height of 16,000 feet from the sea level, in the night time, reports Hindustan Times.

DBO marks Indian Army's last outpost near the Karakoram Pass. The decision to fly the Chinook over to DBO's advanced landing ground was taken to test the Indian Army's capability to rapidly insert the special forces and infantry combat vehicles in case the situation against Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) vitiates.

Meanwhile, the Indian Army has already deployed lethal T-90 battle tanks and artillery guns at the DBO.

This comes as the Chinese PLA has increased its deployment of troops in the area across the Line of Actual Control (LAC), and has also been pursuing road building activity aggressively.

It should be noted that the United States (US)-built Chinook helicopters have a proven record of night flying in Afghan mountainous terrain and has been widely used for rapid military retaliation by the special airborne forces. It is also equipped with two heavy calibre machine guns deployed at the front and back to suppress the ground fire.