Aviation Research Centre

The Aviation Research Centre (ARC) was a India’s imaging-intelligence organisation, a part of the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW).[1] The first head of the ARC was R. N. Kao, the founding chief of R&AW. Over the years the ARC had grown into a large operation and flies a large and varied fleet that till recently included the high-flying Mach 3 capable MIG-25.

It was shutdown in 2015 as a part of reforms.[2] [3]

Inventory

The ARC began operations in 1962 with a Helio Twin Courier loaned from the USAF.[1] ARC operates fixed-wing transport aircraft like Russian IL-76s and AN-32s. It also has General Dynamics Gulfstream III and Global 5000 jets. The helicopter inventory comprises Russian Mil Mi-17s and a mix of locally built Cheetahs (modified French Alouette IIs) and Chetaks (Alouette IIIs). The MIG-25 (also christened as Foxbat by NATO) was used for high altitude reconnaissance until being decommissioned in 2006. ARC is also believed to be the first wing of Indian intelligence agencies to induct the indigenously built 'Pilotless Target Aircraft' (PTA) Lakshya. Lakshya is equipped with advanced support system to help it perform tactful aerial exploration in the battlefield, including target acquisition. The 6-foot-long (1.8 m) Lakshya is fitted with a digitally controlled engine that can be operated from the ground using a remote. Lakshya had been designed by Aeronautical Development Establishment, Bangalore. Lakshya is a surface/ship launched high subsonic reusable aerial target system, remotely piloted from ground. It provides training to the gun and missile crew and to air defence pilots for weapon engagement.

Bases

According to a report from Globalsecurity.org, R&AW Aviation Research Centre previously or currently operates bases at Charbatia Air Base in Choudwar, Cuttack district (largest base); Sarsawa Air Base[1] near Saharanpur on the Uttar Pradesh-Haryana border; Dum Duma Air Base near Tinsukia in Assam; Palam Air Base in Delhi; and the Farkhor Air Base, the only Indian military base situated in a foreign country, at Farkhor/Ayni in Tajikistan.[4][5]

In 2018 the Duma Duma Air Base was identified as one of 15 disused airfields that could be transferred to other public agencies. At the time it was being looked after by the Defence Estate Organisation.[6]

Function
Cameras of MiG-25RB for aerial surveillance

Aerial surveillance, SIGINT operations, photo reconnaissance flights (PHOTINT),[7] monitoring of borders, imagery intelligence (IMINT)[8] are the main functions of the Aviation Research Centre (ARC). The aircraft are fitted with state-of-the-art electronic surveillance equipment and long range cameras capable of taking pictures of targets from very high altitudes. ARC also takes the responsibility along with the IAF to transport Special Frontier Force (SFF) commandos from their trans-location at Sarsawa, 250 km north of New Delhi, though the SFF's own base is in Chakrata in Uttarakhand (UK) state.

Kargil War

In 1999 during the Kargil War, after the Pakistani intrusion was detected, ARC was tasked to check if the Pakistanis had indeed crossed the Line of Control to the Indian side and violated the border agreement.[9] A number of missions were flown by the ARC on request from the Indian Army and the PMO. Senior officials of the Indian armed forces including the Chief of Air Staff and Chief of Army staff highly commended the work done by ARC, quoting "The electronic and optical information provided by the ARC before and during the actual operations was of immense value to the conduct of air strikes." [10] Also the K. Subrahmanyam committee report into the Kargil war observed that "No intelligence failures had been attributed on account of functioning of RAW and ARC. However, certain equipment inadequacies were highlighted such as satellite imagery and UAVs".[11]

Controversies
An armoured personnel carrier (BMP) being loaded on an IL-76 at Ladakh

ARC is blamed by many for its failure to monitor and detect the intrusion by Pakistan in Kargil. There has been even rumors about possible split of ARC from R&AW.[12] Moreover, turf battles between the civilian and military intelligence agencies, which had intensified following feeble attempts to revamp the country's information gathering capabilities five years ago, led to difficulties in close cooperation or information sharing between R&AW and the Intelligence Bureau.[13] There have also been reports [14] of turf wars with the newly set up National Technical Research Organisation over airborne intelligence and satellite imagery.

See also

References
  1. "RAW to shut down its covert air wing, assets will go to NTRO and IAF". Indian Express. 18 September 2015.
  2. "RAW to shut down its covert air wing, assets will go to NTRO and IAF". Indian Express. 18 September 2015.
  3. "RAW to close Aviation Research Centre" Check |url= value (help). Odisha TV. 20 September 2015.
  4. Asia Times Online :: South Asia news - India's foray into Central Asia
  5. Dum Duma Air Station
  6. Ray, Kalyan (3 April 2018). "IAF to surrender 15 disused airfields". Deccan Herald.
  7. NSNL 52 - Intelligence profile : India
  8. http://www.ciaonet.org/olj/sa/sa_nov00anv01.html
  10. Air Marshal Ashok Goel's blog post-Secrets of RAW
  11. Air Marshal Ashok Goel's blog post-Secrets of RAW
  12. India struggles to modernise air research centre - Jane's Defence Business News
  13. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 December 2006. Retrieved 22 September 2006.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  14. India Today-Spy vs Spy
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