In a first, an Indian Air Force (IAF) C-17 Globemaster pilot received a gallantry award for executing an anti-piracy operation on the high seas, some 1400 nautical miles from Indian shores. The pilot flew the strategic airlifter at a low level over high seas, with all emitters switched off to avoid detection.
Indian Navy’s stealth-guided missile destroyer INS Kolkata intercepted a merchant vessel, MV Ruen, which was hijacked by Somali pirates on December 13, 2023. The pirates sailed in the ship to conduct more acts of piracy when they were stopped by the INS Kolkata.
The emboldened pirates opened fire at INS Kolkata and shot down a drone launched from the destroyer. This set in motion a high-voltage anti-piracy mission that established India as the ‘First Responder’ in the Indian Ocean Region.
More can be read about the rescue right out of the Hollywood flick Captain Phillips in the EurAsian Times report.
The IAF and the Indian Navy pooled resources to execute the anti-piracy operation that unfolded for over 40 hours. It was the first insertion of marine commandos through airdrop on high seas.
INS Subhadra patrol vessel, maritime patrol aircraft P-8I Poseidon, and a high-altitude long-endurance drone joined the mission, while an IAF’s C-17 Globemaster took off from India with the elite marine commandos (Marcos) of the Indian Navy.
It flew for 10 hours and carried out a precision airborne drop of two Combat Rubberised Raiding Craft boats along with 18 Indian Navy Marcos trained in para drop.
The paradrop is difficult in the best of circumstances. However, it becomes extremely challenging on high seas because sea and air conditions impact accuracy. The hazard of parachuting into water is always present.
For his daring operations, the C-17 pilot of the IAF, Wing Commander Akshay Saxena, was awarded the Vayu Sena Medal (Gallantry Award).
The objective area was near the Somalian coast, 1450 nautical miles off Mumbai. The prevailing ground environment is a very important factor in the airdrop. The airspace around the drop zone or landing area needs to be sanitized to rule out any anti-aircraft threat.
The mission involved the real threat of small arms with the pirates over and above the extended mission timelines, which involved flying into another country’s airspace undeclared and undetected for close to four hours.
“The Officer (Wing Commander Saxena), as Captain of the C-17 aircraft, decided to switch off all emitters, fly low level over high seas in foreign territory, and drop at dusk time to avoid detection. Even after receiving the changed drop location only 50 NMs before the drop, he guided the crew to safely execute a precision airdrop, thus resulting in the capture of the pirates and rescue of MV Ruen with its 17-member crew,” his award citation read.
The operation, in addition to underscoring the Indian Navy’s capability to defend maritime laws in its area of dominance from the Gulf of Aden in the West to the Malacca Straits in the East, also highlighted the growing cohesiveness of the Indian Armed Forces to carry out joint operations with finesse.
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“He displayed effective inter-service coordination with the Indian Navy while maintaining heightened situational awareness both on the ground and in the air. All possible measures were taken to maintain the secrecy of the almost 10 hours long mission,” his citation reads further.
C-17 Globemaster – A Game Changer For India
The first C-17 landed in India on June 18, 2013. The IAF has a fleet of 11 C-17s, making it the largest operator of Boeing’s aircraft outside the US. The American airlifters have been game-changers for the IAF.
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Because of its externally blown flap system, the C-17 can land on an airfield as small as 3,000 feet and only 90 feet wide. This system provides extra lift for a steep, low-speed final approach and low landing speeds.
It can execute precise ground maneuvers, such as a 180° star turn in 80 feet, in crowded spaces and tight taxiways. A fully loaded C-17 can use directed flow thrust reversers to taxi rearward up a maximum gradient slope of 2 percent, allowing it to park and back up on its own. Additionally, because their engines have mechanisms to stop dust and debris from entering, they can run safely, even on unpaved surfaces.
The airlifting capabilities of the C-17 ‘Globemaster’ are 80 tonnes, which is double that of the Russian Il-76, which can carry 40 tonnes.
With the induction of C-17s, the IAF’s strategic airlift capability has seen a quantum jump. Along with maneuverability, the onboard avionics of the aircraft are far superior to the previous transport aircraft because of being new.
The US transporter has a technological edge over their Russian counterparts in terms of their propulsion systems. The C-17 has four Pratt & Whitney F117-PW-100 turbofan power packs. These engines pack more power for the aircraft to operate under extreme conditions. On the other hand, the Il-76s are powered with four Aviadvigatel PS-90-76 turbofan engines.
The C-17s have been instrumental in helping beef up its assets on its Eastern border in 2020 after 20 Indian soldiers died in a bloody clash with the Chinese forces in the Galwan Valley.
The PLA’s build-up on the Chinese side has been huge. Galwan was one of the trigger points of the 1962 war between India and China. In 2020, troops remained entrenched on their respective sides, and the PLA pitched over 80 tents on their side.
The Indian Armed Forces did not waste time and swung into action. Their entire transport fleet, including the C-17s and C-130s, was deployed. They airlifted 68,000 troops, 330 infantry vehicles, and over 90 tanks and artillery guns, outfoxing China.
Plans are underway to expand the Nyoma Advanced Landing Ground (ALG) in eastern Ladakh into a full-fledged operating base. Fighter jets and larger transport aircraft, such as C-17s, would be able to take off and land there.
Earlier in 2023, the IAF carried out a daring rescue from Sudan. A C-17 heavy-lifter airlifted 192 people from the war-torn country. The full mission lasted almost 24 hours, with a refueling stop at Jeddah in Saudi Arabia.
At Sudan, the aircraft made an overhead steep tactical arrival followed by an assault approach to land the heavy jet. During the entire duration of the ground operations, the aircraft engines were kept running in readiness for a quick exit from the airfield if the situation demanded.
