Jammu terror attack: For the first time, drones used to hit Indian military targets

Though the targets were the machines at the station, there was no damage to any IAF equipment. Image: ANI

Security agencies suspect drones were used to drop bombs at the Jammu Air Force station early Sunday morning. Late Sunday afternoon, DG J&K Police Dilbagh Singh said that drones could have been used for dropping Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) that caused damage at the Jammu Air Force Station. This means that for the first time a military establishment in India has been hit using low flying drones which are not picked on the radars.

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In the early hours on Sunday (June 27, 2021) there were two low intensity explosions in the technical area of Jammu Air Force Station. The Indian Air Force (IAF) has not confirmed that drones were used in the attack, however, security agencies are suspecting the use of drones for the IED attacks. This happened within a span of five minutes in the early hours of Sunday. According to reports, the first blast which had ripped off the roof of a building was at 1.37 am followed by another one at 1.42 am on the ground.

According to sources, an IAF patrol team had seen the ammunition being dropped. Though the targets were the machines at the station, there was no damage to any IAF equipment.

In the two explosions which rocked the Technical Area of the IAF station in Jammu, two personnel who had sustained minor injuries are out of danger.

IAF Statement

In the early morning blasts, according to the IAF statement, “There were two low intensity explosions in the Technical Area of the Jammu Air Station. And, investigations are going on with civil agencies.”

According to the IAF statement, one explosion caused minor damage to the roof of a building and the blast was in an open area.

Meanwhile, the Vice Chief Air Marshal Harjit Singh Arora has already briefed the defence minister Rajnath Singh, who is on his way to Ladakh to review operations preparedness of the force along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

Also, Air Marshal Vikram Singh, from Western Air Command reached Jammu Air Force Station to review the situation.

The Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria, who is currently on a three day visit to Bangladesh too has been apprised about the explosions at the Jammu Air Force Station.

Terror Angle

The terror angle has not been ruled out by the security agencies, who have cordoned off the area to ascertain the cause of the explosions. And now the Jammu police has also registered an FIR under Explosive Act and Section 16, 18 of the UAPA.

Sources have also confirmed that teams from NIA and NSG’s Bomb Data Team have reached the site of the blasts.

Drones used?

It is now confirmed by the security forces that drones have been used to drop the IED payload inside a high security zone. The drone used was not detected by the radars and had entered almost 12 km inside the Indian Territory to hit the target.

According to sources it has come from across the Line of Control (LOC), as the India-Pak border is around 14 kms from the Air Force Station in Jammu.

UAVs new weapons for modern warfare

As reported earlier by Financial Express Online, the Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) which are commonly referred to as drones are now the weapons of choice in modern warfare. These are now being used worldwide by both state and non-state entities. They are used mostly as they are low cost, have a high level of effectiveness and come with a high degree of deniability they provide on the battlefield.