Berhampur, Nov. 19: A firepower demonstration was conducted by the Gopalpur’s Army Air Defence College at Seaward Firing Range today.

It was a display of the might of air defence capabilities of the Indian Army. Many from the Army Air Defence fraternity bore witness to the demonstration.

Earlier, deputy chief of army staff Lieutenant General Narendra Singh inaugurated the Army Air Defence conference and 4th Army Air Defence reunion at Gopalpur Military Station on November 17. The event culminated today with the firepower demonstration.

The missile systems that were fired included the OSA-AK weapon system, Strela 10M missile Igla-IM shoulder fired missile. The OSA-AK weapon system is a highly mobile, low altitude, short-range tactical surface to air missile system. The gun system that fired it was L/70 gun, which plays a major role in the air defence of the Indian Army. The aerial target support was provided by state-of-the-art inter-services pilot-less target aircraft Lakshya produced indigenously by the Defence Research and Development Organisation.

“I am more than satisfied with the firepower demonstration. Most of the targets were destroyed successfully,” said the director general and senior colonel commandant of Army Air Defence, Lieutenant General Kuldip Singh.

. What is important is that the targets used during the firepower demonstration were very small in size. In war zones the targets are much bigger. If you are able to destroy a small target, it is obvious that you will be able to destroy a bigger target with accuracy in the field. The precision firing reflects the efficient training we are imparting to the army staff,” said the director general and senior colonel commandant of Army Air Defence, Lieutenant General Kuldip Singh.

Commandant of Army Air Defence College Lieutenant General V.K. Saxena also lauded the demonstration. “We celebrate the reunion of serving and retired officers of the Army Air Defence fraternity every year and firepower demonstration is a part of it. It is the result of the best possible training that we have here. We train our jawans, junior commissioned officers and other officers to use our weapon systems to destroy any kind of enemy target,” said Saxena.

Army Air Defence College, a prestigious training institution of Army Air Defence, is located near Gopalpur beach. The sprawling complex of the college, spread over more than 2,700 acres, is equipped with state-of-the-art training infrastructure and facilities. In addition to army, personnel of the Indian Navy, Indian Air Force and students from friendly foreign defence forces also undergo various training programmes at Army Air Defence College.