BSF Air Wing grounded, Mi-17 lying unused

Shaurya Karanbir Gurung

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, June 7

The Border Security Force Air Wing has often been unable to give an edge to soldiers deployed in conflict areas, as its helicopters and manpower are not being properly utilised.

For the past 12 years, six Mi-17 1V helicopters which were inducted into the BSF Air Wing in 2003, have been permanently stationed in Delhi, when they could have been deployed for air support in anti-Naxal operations and along the India-China frontier. Five of the helicopters haven’t been serviced since 2012.

The Mi-17 1V has to undergo maintenance after every 50 hours of flying. Therefore, when there is a requirement, it has to fly from Delhi to the area of employment and return, drastically reducing the number of flying hours left for the task.

“During last year’s devastating floods in Jammu and Kashmir, the Mi-17 1V could be used for only 35 minutes for relief operations, as it had only eight flying hours left before undergoing maintenance… the BSF Air Wing can only meet 3 per cent of our demands as the helicopters are stationed in Delhi,” said sources.

As per a Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) note of 2003, the IAF was to maintain and operate six Mi-17 1V as well as train BSF officials for a period of five years, and later, hand these over to them. This is yet to be achieved.

An IAF statement said: “The IAF is providing all support to the BSF in training and maintenance of its helicopters. The deployment of the aircraft, however, is the responsibility of the BSF. The helicopters are facing serviceability problems as most of these are due for major overhaul. This is to be done with the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) in Russia/Ukraine and not by the IAF. The BSF is responsible for it.”