Chimera

Vivek Ahuja Chimera

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

This book is dedicated to my father, Wing-Commander P. M. Ahuja, Indian Air Force (Retd.) my mother, Dr. Sulekha Ahuja and all the men and women in the Indian Armed Forces who willingly give their today so that we will have a tomorrow. Hopefully this book will a go a little way in helping people understand why and how they do, what they do.

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank all the people at Bharat-Rakshak Forum, the readers of my blog and my friends who gave me the push and the drive needed to finish what I had started a long time ago.

NOMENCLATURE

ACCR — AIRBORNE COMMAND AND CONTROL REGIMENT

ACCCS — ARTILLERY COMBAT COMMAND AND CONTROL SYSTEM

ADGES — AIR-DEFENSE GROUND ENVIRONMENT SYSTEM

AEW&C — AIRBORNE EARLY WARNING AND CONTROL

AFARP — ARTILLERY FORWARD AREA REARMING POINT

ALG — ADVANCED LANDING GROUND

ALCM — AIR LAUNCHED CRUISE MISSILE

AMRAAM — Advanced MEDIUM RANGE AIR-TO-AIR MISSILE

APC — ARMORED PERSONNEL CARRIER

ARC — AVIATION RESEARCH CENTER

AWACS — AIRBORNE WARNING AND CONTROL SYSTEM

BARCAP — BARRIER COMBAT AIR PATROL

BMS — BATTLEFIELD MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

CABS — CENTER FOR AIRBORNE SYSTEMS

CAP — COMBAT AIR PATROL

CAS — CLOSE AIR SUPPORT

CIC — COMBAT INFORMATION CENTER

CINC-WAC — COMMANDER IN CHIEF, WESTERN AIR COMMAND

CMC — CENTRAL MILITARY COMMISSION

COMINT — COMMUNICATIONS INTELLIGENCE

DCA — DEFENSIVE COUNTER AIR

DIPAC — DEFENSE IMAGERY PROCESSING AND ANALYSIS CENTER

DOD — DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

EO — ELECTRO-OPTICAL

ELINT — ELECTRONIC INTELLIGENCE

EW — ELECTRONIC WARFARE

FAC — FORWARD AIR CONTROLLER

FARP — FORWARD AREA REARMING POINT

FEBA — FORWARD EDGE OF THE BATTLEFIELD

FFAR — FOLDING FIN AERIAL ROCKET

GLCM — GROUND LAUNCHED CRUISE MISSILE

HAL — HINDUSTAN AERONAUTICS LIMITED

HAS — HARDENED AIRCRAFT SHELTER

HUD — HEADS UP DISPLAY

HUMINT — HUMAN INTELLIGENCE

IAF — INDIAN AIR FORCE

IASC — INDIAN AEROSPACE COMMAND

IB — INTELLIGENCE BUREAU

IMFS — INTEGRATED MULTI-FUNCTION SIGHT

IMTRAT — INDIAN MILITARY TRAINING TEAM

IR — INFRA-RED

ISR — INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLENCE, RECONNAISANCE

ISRO — INDIAN SPACE RESEARCH ORGANISATION

JFB — JOINT FORCE BHUTAN

LCH — LIGHT COMBAT HELICOPTER

LOD — LINE OF DEPARTURE

MBRL — MULTI-BARREL ROCKET LAUNCHER

MBT — MAIN BATTLE TANK

MLRS — MULTIPLE LAUNCH ROCKET SYSTEM

MOD — MINISTRY OF DEFENSE

MRAF — MILITARY REGION AIR FORCE

MSR — MAIN SUPPLY ROUTE

NCNA — NEW CHINA NEWS AGENCY

OCA — OFFENSIVE COUNTER AIR

ORBAT — ORDER OF BATTLE

ORP — OPERATIONAL READINESS PLATFORM

PLA — PEOPLE’S LIBERATION ARMY

PLAAF — PEOPLE’S LIBERATION ARMY AIR FORCE

PLAN — PEOPLE’S LIBERATION ARMY NAVY

POL — PASSAGE OF LINES

RAW — RESEARCH AND ANALYSIS WING

RWR — RADAR WARNING RECEIVER

SAMS — SURFACE TO AIR MISSILE SYSTEMS

SEAD — SUPRESSION OF ENEMY AIR DEFENSES

SFC — STRATEGIC FORCES COMMAND

SHORAD — SHORT RANGE AIR DEFENSE

SOCOM — SPECIAL OPERATIONS COMMAND

SOFOR — STATUS OF FORCES

SPG — SPECIAL PROTECTION GROUP

TAR — TIBET AUTONOMOUS REGION

TEL — TRANSPORTER ERECTOR LAUNCHER

TI — THERMAL IMAGING

UAV — UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES

WAC — WESTERN AIR COMMABD

WLR — WEAPON LOCATING RADAR

WSO — WEAPONS SYSTEM OPERATOR

MAPS

Map-1: Regional Geography

Map-2: Chinese airbases near Aksai Chin

Map-3: The Ladakh region

Map-4: Southern Tibet, Bhutan and India

Map-5: Daulat Beg Oldi (DBO)

Map-6: Leh Airbase, Ladakh

Map-7: Western Bhutan

Map-8: Paro airport, Bhutan

Map-9: Northwestern Bhutan

PROLOGUE

THE AKSAI–CHIN

MARCH 23, 2335 HRS

“Pathfinder-Two to — One. Target sighted. Inbound and Jolly. Over”

“Pathfinder-One copies all. Stand-by.”