Global 5000 surveillance aircraft, NTRO spy satellites being used to trace IAF AN-32

The authorities are making all-out efforts in search of IAF's AN-32 aircraft, government sources have stated, adding that the Air Force is using Global 5000 surveillance aircraft and NTRO spy satellites along with other assets to locate the missing aircraft. 

Defense Minister Rajnath Singh is said to have pulled out all the all stops and is getting all regular updates on the ongoing search and rescue operations, as per sources. He is also said to have instructed the use of all possible resources to locate the missing aircraft and its occupants. The AN-32 aircraft went missing on June 3 in Arunachal Pradesh. The Global 5000 surveillance aircraft belongs to the fleet of jets with the Aviation Reseach Centre.

"With their specialist sensors, they can help in getting better imagery on the ground," said government sources aware of the matter.

The Indian Navy on Friday pressed its Long Range Maritime Reconnaissance aircraft P81 in the ongoing search operation. The aircraft P81 is airborne from INS Rajali, Arakonam, Tamil Nadu on Friday morning. It is equipped with special radars and sensors which will help locate the missing plane during the operation, stated the Indian Navy.

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The search operations for the plane entered the fifth day on Friday. Bad weather conditions on Wednesday had put halt to the search operations by helicopter, however, two Sukhoi-30 MKI combat jets and one V 130J aircraft carried out night missions to locate the plane.

The AN-32 aircraft had taken off from Assam's Jorhat on 3rd June and was headed for Mechukla Advance Landing Ground (ALG) in Arunachal Pradesh when it lost contact with the ground authorities at around 1300 hours and went missing.

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Indian Army on Thursday deployed unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for search. The IAF had also said that cheetah choppers have been deployed in the search operations.

The family members of Ashish Tanwar, the pilot of IAF AN 32 aircraft, met the Defence Minister Rajnath Singh at his residence in New Delhi on Thursday.