The Indian Air Force plans to install an Aerosat Radar capable of picking up targets at low ranges at the Southern Air Command in Thiruvananthapuram, considering the region's strategic importance.
The IAF's decision assumes significance in the wake of militant outfit LTTE displaying aerial capability in conducting surprise attacks.
Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Air Marshal S Radhakrishnan told nedia-persons in Thiruvananthapuram on Friday that "considering the region's strategic importance, an Aerosat Radar capable of picking up targets at low ranges would be installed at SAC in two years".
The press conference came hours before the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam carried out surprise attacks in Colombo on Friday night, killing two persons and injuring 54 others.
Radhakrishnan also said that the control of Maritime Air Operations, now under South Western Air Command, would be handed over to the Southern Air Command here.
IAF sources said in New Delhi that they have already geared up air defence units by placing mobile radars all along
the southern coast particularly to secure sensitive infrastructure following the first LTTE attack in 2007.
Those radars and air defence units are already in place and are keeping a round-the-clock vigil and are ready to meet any challenges rogue aerial vehicles may pose, the sources said.
After the Mumbai attacks there had been intelligence inputs that the next terror strike could be through the aerial route following which the IAF had strengthened its air defence units all across the country.
