Barrackpore (North 24-Parganas), July 24: The air force will station 40 Sukhoi 30s at its Tezpur base in Assam and also strengthen the Kalaikunda airbase in Bengal.

“We are doing this to tighten our air security in the eastern region. These new aircraft (Sukhoi 30s) will operate from Tezpur,” the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Air Command, said here today.

Air Marshal P.K. Barbora added that six more specialised helicopters would be procured, taking their total number to 86.

No Sukhoi 30s are currently deployed in the eastern region, which is guarded by MIG 21 and MIG 27 aircraft. Senior officers stressed that the fortification was meant to keep the force “ready for combat in any eventuality in the region”.

Barbora’s remarks came during a visit to Udayan, a school for physically and mentally challenged children operated by the Air Force Wives’ Welfare Association in Barrackpore. He said the air force had given permission for a civil aviation training institute to be set up at the Panagarh airbase.

The force had also agreed to allow a commercial air cargo handling facility at Panagarh, as proposed by the Bengal government. But it could not come up as DGCA and Airports Authority of India rules came in the way.