Targeting pods, laser-guided bomb system for Mirage-2000 was done for Kargil War: IAF chief Dhanoa

Asserting that the use of Mirage-2000 "turned the tide" in favour of India during the Kargil War in 1999, Air Chief Marshal B S Dhanoa Monday said modification of the multi-role fighter aircraft was in process back then and was "expedited" for its deployment in the operation.

Addressing a press conference here, he also said, to accelerate the modification of Mirage-2000, which he described was still the "sword arm of the IAF", its integration with targeting pods and 1000-pound laser-guided bombs (LGBs) were done in a "record time of 12 days".

Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Central Command, Air Marshal Rajesh Kumar, who accompanied Dhanoa during the interaction with reporters at the Air Force Station here, said, "the aircraft is going an upgrade and one squadron worth of Mirage-2000 aircraft has been upgraded".

In response to a question, Kumar said that on August 2, 2002, the IAF conducted an attack on an adversary target in Kel area of Jammu and Kashmir to send out a clear ...