The Pakistan president and Chief martial law administrator General Yahya Khan was running out of options as he could not support an operation in East Pakistan as it was separated from the 'motherland' by almost 1500 miles of Indian territory. His advisors advocated a strike in the west on the lines of the Israeli attack on the Egyptian Air fields during the 1967 Arab Israeli war. This they felt if decisive could give the Pakistan armed forces some respite in East Pakistan.
Thus a daring plan to strike 6 Indian forward airfields was conceived. The idea was to mount at least 3 or 4 sorties on these airfields and try and decimate the aircraft on the ground. The chief of the Pakistan Air Force was confident of the success of the plan. Accordingly 'operation Chengiz Khan' was planned for the night of 3 December 1971.
Measures taken by the IAF
The Indian Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal PC Lal had received intelligence inputs of the Pakistani attack, though the date and time was not clear. Much of the information was supplied by the Soviet Union which had put Pakistan under satellite surveillance. Air Chief Marshal Lal, thus in the first week of November ordered that the following steps be taken in the western sector.
a) All fighters and other aircraft were ordered to be dispersed and properly camouflaged.
b) The Air Defense guns around the airfield were strengthened.
c) ORP (Operation readiness Platform) was mounted. This involved pilots being ready around the clock for operations.
d) The Runaway rehabilitation scheme was activated, as well as PAD (Passive Air Defense) was activated.
The Pakistan Air Force selected Halwara (Near Jullundur), Adampur (Close to Hoshiarpur), Pathankot, Jodhpur, Agra, Sirsa in Haryana for the first attacks. They planned to follow up with attacks on Srinagar, Amritsar and Bhatinda.
As the Pakistan ground crew got the aircraft ready, information through satellite surveillance by the Soviet Union was transmitted to the IAF.
The PAF Attacks
The PAF mounted the attacks with F104 (star fighter), Mirage,F-86 and other planes. The planes keeping radio silence and flying low to evade Indian radar stations headed for their targets. The approach of the planes resulted in a massive anti Aircraft barrage from the Indian side. But as per plans no aircraft was scrambled to intercept the attackers, to convey the impression that the PAF raids were a success.
In the face of the heavy AA barrage and navigation errors most of the planes were not very successful in attacking the airfields. No Indian aircraft were damaged and the airfields also suffered minimal damage. The attacks continued the entire night and as there was no Indian response the Pakistan general staff concluded the attacks were a success.
The Indian Attack
Pakistan Day Parade- JF-17 thunder by deatgame143
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6918853
Thus a daring plan to strike 6 Indian forward airfields was conceived. The idea was to mount at least 3 or 4 sorties on these airfields and try and decimate the aircraft on the ground. The chief of the Pakistan Air Force was confident of the success of the plan. Accordingly 'operation Chengiz Khan' was planned for the night of 3 December 1971.
Measures taken by the IAF
The Indian Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal PC Lal had received intelligence inputs of the Pakistani attack, though the date and time was not clear. Much of the information was supplied by the Soviet Union which had put Pakistan under satellite surveillance. Air Chief Marshal Lal, thus in the first week of November ordered that the following steps be taken in the western sector.
a) All fighters and other aircraft were ordered to be dispersed and properly camouflaged.
b) The Air Defense guns around the airfield were strengthened.
c) ORP (Operation readiness Platform) was mounted. This involved pilots being ready around the clock for operations.
d) The Runaway rehabilitation scheme was activated, as well as PAD (Passive Air Defense) was activated.
The Pakistan Air Force selected Halwara (Near Jullundur), Adampur (Close to Hoshiarpur), Pathankot, Jodhpur, Agra, Sirsa in Haryana for the first attacks. They planned to follow up with attacks on Srinagar, Amritsar and Bhatinda.
As the Pakistan ground crew got the aircraft ready, information through satellite surveillance by the Soviet Union was transmitted to the IAF.
The PAF Attacks
The PAF mounted the attacks with F104 (star fighter), Mirage,F-86 and other planes. The planes keeping radio silence and flying low to evade Indian radar stations headed for their targets. The approach of the planes resulted in a massive anti Aircraft barrage from the Indian side. But as per plans no aircraft was scrambled to intercept the attackers, to convey the impression that the PAF raids were a success.
In the face of the heavy AA barrage and navigation errors most of the planes were not very successful in attacking the airfields. No Indian aircraft were damaged and the airfields also suffered minimal damage. The attacks continued the entire night and as there was no Indian response the Pakistan general staff concluded the attacks were a success.
The Indian Attack
Pakistan Day Parade- JF-17 thunder by deatgame143
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6918853
