As the nation deals with the petrifying effects of the second COVID wave, the Indian Armed Forces have put their best foot forward to protect the citizens and strengthen the battle against the pandemic. Recently, the Indian Air Force successfully completed a total of 732 sorties with a flying period of more than 1,419 hours. With this achievement, the IAF has multiplied its flying time by nearly three times in a week, from 500 hours to the current figure close to the 1500 mark.
Helping the country since the onslaught of 2nd wave
Right after India entered into the second phase of accelerated COVID infections, IAF was called for duty on a war footing. The IAF made its first sortie on April 24, picking up two oxygen tankers from Singapore. Further, IAF was asked to accelerate the transportation of oxygen containers, given the escalating count of severe patients and deaths. As a part of these programs, IAF’s C17 and IL76 transport aircraft have been very helpful. Having the capacity to lift heavy weights, these airships have helped in relaying voluminous oxygen containers and oxygen generation plants to the country.
Flying to distant locations like UAE, Thailand, Singapore, Germany, Australia, Indonesia, Israel and the UK, among other countries, IAF benefitted the country’s medical infrastructure, humongous. The IAF acquainted that 98 sorties abroad with a flying period of over 480 hours have aided in the transfer of 95 oxygen containers with a capacity of 793 MT. Additionally, other relief materials like oxygen generators, oxygen concentrators were also brought from foreign countries.
Super Heroes of India’s domestic supply network
With its operations, the air warfare group has not only transferred medical supplies and COVID relief resources from across the globe but also amplified the domestic network, over the past month. Under this program, two cryogenic oxygen tankers were transported from Agra to Jamnagar and from Indore to Jamnagar, respectively.
“The aircraft took off from Agra early in the morning at 1:30 am on May 12 and landed back at Agra after completing all the tasks at around 8:15 am,” said the Indian Air Force. Through these sorties conducted on Wednesday morning, the air arm of the Armed Forces further reinforced the oxygen supply network.
Domestically, the IAF aircraft have conducted 634 sorties running over 939 flying hours. With the help of these interventions, 403 empty oxygen containers with a capacity of 6856.2 MT and other equipment have been transported. In recent times, the recurrence of its activities has increased, marking a three-fold hike from May 4 to May 12.
–With inputs from IANS
