Indian Air Force 243 Air Warrior Task Force To Be Deployed In Congo
Dated 25/9/2007
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It is indeed a matter of pride to be amongst air warriors of IAC-I, who are due to embark on a peace keeping mission in the DR Congo. This 243 Air Warrior strong task force is being led by Group Captain NJS Dhillon and this motivated team will soon be part of the United Nations.
The contingent will be based at Goma, located amidst dense tropical forests, active volcanoes and ocean like lakes adjacent to Congo-Rwanda Uganda border. Charter of this contingent will be to enforce peace and will entail support of the Mi-17 utility helicopters as well as the Mi-25 attack helicopters. The contingent will operate in a hostile environment dotted with inhospitable terrain in the north eastern part of Congo.
IAF has established a good reputation in undertaking peace keeping duties in support of the United Nations. Incidentally, the first mission was also in Congo, nearly half a century back in 1961 when six Canberra bombers of No. 5 Squadron adorned with the IAF’s saffron white-green roundels were inducted to restore peace. These bombers had a dramatic impact on neutralization of the mercenary-run Katangan Air Force. Later, IAF made substantial contribution to the peace keeping effort in Somalia and Sierra Leone by undertaking some daring missions. In 2003, IAF was once again called upon by the UN to operate its attack and utility helicopters for wide-ranging operations to control the turbulence in Congo.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has been afflicted by continuous strife ever since its independence in 1960. Located in Central Africa, it is a large country with a population of around 60 million with nearly 350 African ethnic groups. It is well endowed with natural resources including diamonds, gold and other minerals. Its people, however remain amongst the poorest in the world as the economy is in shambles. A vicious war is on for control of resources between the Government and the rebel forces. Decades of ethnic and civil wars, compounded by invasions have taken a terrible toll. With civil infrastructure and economy collapsed, no rule of law and armed groups terrorizing the country, a humanitarian crisis is prevailing in the country with millions of refugees and displaced people. The UN effort to control the situation was greatly handicapped because of the severe limitations of infrastructure. There is paucity of roads. Undulating terrain carpeted with dense tropical forests is subjected to heavy rainfall, that not only slowed down road transportation but also movement of ground forces. Under these conditions, the Indian Air Force was tasked to shoulder the enormous task of restoring peace and assisting La Peuple Congalis to lead life without constant fear.
The IAC-I comprises of five Mi-17 utility helicopters and four Mi-25 attack helicopters. The envisaged roles for the Mi-17 helicopters is observation, recce, search and rescue, casualty evacuation, logistics supply troop insertion, extraction and armed support as and when necessary. They are appropriately named Equatorial Eagles as their span of operational area straddles the equator in the ‘Dark Continent’. The attack helicopters are mainly for deterrence and may be used to provide fire support during heliborne and ground convoys. These helicopters have earned the reputation of being a force to reckon with and their quick response is effective in qualifying hostile intents invariably, the militias retreat promptly, reigning in peace and order in the area. No wonder, Mi-25s are known as ‘Henshaw’ the bird that breathes fire.
The IAF contingent has dramatically enhanced the reach and effectiveness of the UN(MONUC) in the ever hostile environment of the Congo. Living up to their motto ‘We support peace and life”, the IAF contingent has consistently kept the rebel’s head down while winning the hearts and minds of the local civilian population. It is not without reason that the UN authorities have rated the Indian Aviation Contingent-I as ‘The best and most exceptional in MONUC’. This set of air warriors also aims to ‘Touch the sky with glory’ in peace keeping.
