Chimera

Three crucial mountain passes in the region at Chang, Jara and Charding to the north, east and south of Demchok had all been under Chinese control since 1962. They provided a south-to-north approach that could allow them to roll up the Indian defenses at Rezang-La and then Chushul up north.

As such, the side that controlled these regions could affect the outcome of the ground war in southern Ladakh. For the Indians, this meant capturing these passes or preventing the Chinese from using them.

The PLA convoy was moving in total darkness with all headlights switched off and only the moonlight above guiding the way forward on the road. Over the rumble and vibrations of so many truck and armor vehicle engines, the fast approaching noise of incoming jets behind them at low altitude went unnoticed until the aircraft were literally overhead…

The first flashes of light erupted when a dozen supply trucks disappeared into a large orange-yellow napalm fireball. A single Jaguar aircraft streaked overhead. The secondary explosions rocked the mountains as ammunition supplies exploded amongst many of the vehicles. The convoy immediately stopped as PLA soldiers abandoned their vehicles and ran, leaving the engines still running as more aircraft noises filled the skies.

The second Jaguar streaked above the ridges from the north and approached the line of five Type-99 tanks parked on the road. The tank-crews were already jumping out of the vehicles. The Jaguar streaked overhead and released two cluster-bomb-units over the five tanks. In two seconds the munitions struck the top armor plating of the tanks and the ground nearby.

Explosions rocked the valley and a dust cloud enveloped the smoke columns. By the time the dust settled, all that remained were five pillars of fire from what had been brand new Type-99 series tanks.

The last two Jaguars were now rolling into attack as the first two aircraft raced skywards and banked away. By this time the PLA anti-air guns had overcome the suddenness of the attack and started filling the skies with lines of tracers and exploding shells.

The night sky was no longer serene and it was getting dangerous for the Indian pilots. Disregarding the danger, the third Jaguar pilot lit up another twenty odd trucks with sequential dropping of his napalm bombs before banking away with blazing afterburners. In his wake followed a line of exploding anti-air artillery shells, but did not touch the aircraft.

The fourth pilot determined the location of the anti-aircraft guns from the base of the lines of tracers racing into the sky and flew over two such positions. He released cluster-munitions over both targets. The cloud of sparks and shrapnel ripped through the exposed gunners and their equipment, abruptly silencing the stream of tracer fire from both locations.

By now the first two Jaguars were on their second approach into the sector with empty pylons but with full gun ammo. Licks of flame erupted through five more trucks as the large cannon shells punched through their cargo and engine compartments. At this range, the cannon rounds punched large holes even on the dirt and gravel of the road and sent dust clouds rising around the five burning trucks…

Two whitish smoke trails left the ground behind the banking Jaguars and followed into the streams of flares and chaff released by both aircraft. The Chinese had recovered and were now engaging the Indian aircraft with more dangerous weaponry than unguided anti-air gunfire. The shoulder-launched anti-air missiles could be deadly.

The surprise element was now no more.

So it was time to leave. There was no second pass for the last two Jaguars and the entire formation of four left Tibetan airspace west of Demchok.

On the ground east of the Jara pass, they left behind dozens of smoke pillars reaching into the night sky as fires raged on the supply road. The message sent out by the PLA General commanding the Division in that sector to the PLAAF headquarters in Kashgar was not pleasant in its tone or content.

But it did trigger a different kind of response.

KASHGAR AIRBASE

SINKIANG AUTONOMOUS REGION

CHINA

DAY 2 + 2155 HRS

Feng abruptly stood up from his chair when he finished reading the message. Chen looked up in surprise.

“What happened?” Chen asked.

“Indian aircraft have destroyed a PLA convoy in southern Ladakh and escaped without loss!”

“Without loss?! Who’s the fool in charge of air-defense in southern Ladakh?” Chen growled angrily as Feng handed the message to him.

“He says he shot down three of the Indian bombers, but I will believe it when I see the wreckage. The PLA Division commander there has been saying entirely the opposite and blaming us for not protecting his troops with adequate air cover. He says his losses are severe. Hundreds dead and wounded. Several dozen vehicles destroyed,” Feng replied.