IAF joins fight against Covid-19; Airlifts Oxygen tankers from overseas and carries medical supplies to Leh

The IAF has transport aircraft which have the capacity to carry these containers and trucks for liquid oxygen.

To help in dealing with the growing shortage of Oxygen supply, India has reached out to friendly nations across the globe.  Efforts are in progress to airlift high capacity tankers from Singapore, Germany and soon UAE.

On Saturday April 24, 2021, 2 am, one C-17 of Indian Air Force (IAF) got airborne from Hindan Air Base for Changi International Airport, Singapore.

According to the official spokesperson of the IAF Wing Commander Ashish Moghe, “The aircraft landed in Singapore at 0745 am, and after loading four containers of cryogenic oxygen tanks, the transport aircraft will depart for India.”

“It will land at Panagarh Air Base and then it will offload these containers by the  evening,” he added.

These tankers will help in ensuring to ensure uninterrupted supply of medical oxygen across the country and to help reduce the movement time the transport fleet of the Indian Air Force has been deployed. These transport aircraft will airlift empty tankers from once place to deliver to oxygen producing locations across the country.

Why the IAF?

The IAF has transport aircraft which have the capacity to carry these containers and trucks for liquid oxygen.

Within the country …

According to Wing Commander Moghe, “Early in the morning one C-17 was airborne from Hindon Air Base for Pune. It landed there at 10 am and is currently being loaded with two empty container trucks for Liquid Oxygen. Once it’s all loaded, it will off load these containers at the Jamnagar Air base at 1.30 pm.”

According to the official spokesperson of the Ministry of Defence, “IAF’s Chinook Helicopter was airborne from Jammu to Leh at 0830 on Saturday morning with 850 Kg load including Bio Safety Cabinet and Centrifuges.”

“Made by CSIR, a Central government organization, these machines are being given to Union Territory of Ladakh are very important for COVID testing and also used for storage of samples to avoid virus spread.” These machines cost around  one crore each.