NEWS – In a first, a C-130 Super Hercules tactical transport aircraft of the Indian Air Force made a night landing at the Advanced Landing Ground (ALG) in Kargil close to the Line of Control (LoC) with Pakistan along with a team of Garud special forces

C-130 SUPER HERCULES TACTICAL TRANSPORT AIRCRAFT

• Versatile and widely used tactical transport aircraft that serves various military roles across the globe
• Developed by Lockheed Martin
• Features a robust and durable airframe constructed from aluminum alloy
• Designed to withstand rugged conditions and short takeoff and landing (STOL) operations
• Powered by four Rolls-Royce AE 2100D3 turboprop engines
• Equipped with advanced avionics systems, including a glass cockpit with digital displays, a Head-Up Display (HUD), and updated navigation and communication systems
• The aircraft has a cargo capacity of approximately 42,000 pounds (19,051 kg) and can accommodate a variety of payloads, including military vehicles, troops, equipment, and humanitarian aid
• Equipped with advanced defensive systems, including infrared countermeasures, radar warning receivers, and other electronic warfare capabilities to enhance its survivability in hostile environments
• Operated by numerous air forces worldwide, including the United States, the United Kingdom, India, Australia, Canada, and others

SIGNIFICANCE

• Indian Air Force used C-130J to airlift the Garud commandos, a special operations unit of the IAF, signifying that troops can be airlifted even at night for clandestine or covert operations
• Terrain masking is a tactic employed by pilots to hide from enemy radar, utilizing natural or man-made terrain to block the line of sight of radar. Use of night vision goggles and infrared thermal imagery for landing, which assists pilots in landing at night but presents challenges such as affecting depth perception, the use of terrain is crucial

THE GARUD COMMANDO FORCE

• Commonly known as Garud
• Special forces unit of the Indian Air Force (IAF)
• Established in 2004
• Tasked with providing specialized counterterrorism, special reconnaissance, and combat search and rescue capabilities to safeguard Indian Air Force installations and personnel
• Notable Operations: Pathankot Air Base Attack (2016), Gurdaspur Terror Attack (2015)