India’s elite counter-terrorism commando force, National Security Guard (NSG) has been deployed at the Indian Air Force bases stations n Srinagar and Jammu to provide anti-drone security cover to the two stations. The deployment has been made after the Jammu Air Force station faced a drone attack in June this year.
These two are sensitive IAF facilities in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, close to the Pakistan border. Notably, the aerial distance of Jammu civil airport to the international border is only 14 km. The runway and the air traffic control is under command of the IAF.
NSG Director General M A Ganapathy announced the decision on Saturday during a programme organized on the occasion of 37th raising day of NSG held at NSG headquarter at Manesar in Haryana. He said the NSG’s bomb disposal teams had neutralised improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and tiffin bombs, including those that were brought by drones from Pakistan and dropped in Indian territory.
NSG Celebrated it’s 37th Raising Day Today at Manesar. Sh Nityanand Rai, MoS(Home),GOI graced the occasion as Chief Guest.Tribute was paid to martyrs of NSG for their supreme sacrifice.Demonstration of NSG capabilities was showcased during the event by Black Cat Commandos. pic.twitter.com/iCLi5x0iAh
— National Security Guard (@nsgblackcats) October 16, 2021
The drone has emerged as a new weapon to be used by Pakistan based terrorists, the first such attack on any such security installations in India was reported on the intervening night of June 26-27. Two unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) operated from across the border (Pakistan) dropped two improvised explosive devices weighted 3 kg and 5 kg each at IAF station in Jammu. Two airmen were apparently injured and the explosion also partially damaged a portion of a building. The Resistance Front (TRF), an offshoot of Lashkar-e-Taiba, was suspected to be behind this drone attack. Chinese drones were used in the attack and it looked like a conspiracy of Pakistan to hit security installations of India.
On the next three days after the attack, drones were spotted at Kunjwani and army stations at Sunjwan and Kaluchak army station areas around Jammu. Right after this incident, NSG and NIA were roped for the security update and investigation to counter any drone attack in future.
Terming drones as a new security challenge, Ganapathy said that drones are an easy way to create mischief, to drop bombs and payload like weapons and ammunition. Ganapathy said that NSG is enhancing its counter-terrorism profile to meet security challenges.
In this context, he informed that NSG was deployed at the Srinagar and Jammu IAF stations to strengthen security in the wake of the drone attacks. He said that anti-drone system is working successfully. It is believed that NSG will continue to protect the Air Force installations till a full-fledged and independent counter-drone system is deployed at the bases.
The NSG has one of the most advanced anti-drone equipment, radars, jammers and drone killer guns to detect and shoot suspicious drones.
