Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa Says 'Can't Count How Many Died In IAF Strike in Balakot', Vouches For MiG-21 Bison, Adds Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman Will Be in Fighter Cockpit After Medical Test
While addressing a meet in Coimbatore on Monday, Dhanoa said, the Mig-21 Bison is a capable aircraft, it has been upgraded, it has better radar, air-to air missiles and better weapons system.
New Delhi, March 4: Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa on Monday briefed the media on Indian Air Force (IAF) air strikes in Pakistan and said India hit its target as it was decided and IAF is not in a postilion to clarify the number of casualties. "The government will clarify that. We don't count human casualties, we count what targets we have hit or not. We hit our target. The air force doesn’t calculate casualty numbers, the government does that", Dhanoa added.
While speaking on Mig-21 Bison, he said, "One is a planned operation in which you plan & carry out. But when an adversary does a strike on you, every available aircraft goes in, irrespective of which aircraft it is. All aircraft are capable of fighting the enemy". Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman Wants to Start Flying as Soon as Possible.
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While addressing a meet in Coimbatore on Monday, Dhanoa said, the Mig-21 Bison is a capable aircraft, it has been upgraded, it has better radar, air-to air missiles and better weapons system. The Air Chief Marshal said, the target has been clearly amplified by FS in his statement. "If we plan to hit the target, we hit the target, otherwise why would he (Pak PM) have responded, if we dropped bombs in the jungles why would he respond", he added.
Talking about Wing Commander Abhinandan return to the cockpit, the Air Chief Marshal said, that he flies or not depends on his medical fitness. Post ejection, Abhinandan has undergone medical check. "Whatever treatment required, will be given. Once we get his medical fitness, he will get into fighter cockpit", he added.
On February 26, India bombed and destroyed Jaish-e-Mohammed's (JeM) biggest training camp in Balakot in Pakistan's restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. The area where India launched an air strike is about 80-km from the Line of Control (LoC). A large number of terrorists, trainers and senior commanders were killed in the air strike on the Pakistani side. The air strikes by the IAF came 12 days after the JeM carried out a suicide attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district that killed 40 CRPF soldiers.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 04, 2019 12:46 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).