Marine missions often last for a long time.
New Delhi: The Cold War had reached a dangerous turn. On one side, America was roaring while Russia was challenging it. The world had been divided into two poles. But amidst all this, new political strategies were also being laid out in Asia. During that time, India had reached a point where a new history could be written. In 1988, India was rapidly expanding its dominance in the Arabian Sea. This is the story of breaking the arrogance that, even years later, has neither been officially acknowledged nor has the world been told the truth about that event. We are about to tell you the extremely interesting story of the time when the Indian Air Force almost ‘attacked’ the American aircraft carrier USS Nimitz.
The Number 6 Jaguar Squadron, known as the ‘Ship Sinkers’, has the capability to fly at quite low altitudes and forms the only maritime strike squadron of the Indian Air Force (IAF). This squadron has been specifically designed to attack warships and aircraft carriers.
The Jaguar Squadron conducts reconnaissance missions or monitoring while flying more than 500 feet above the sea which is very challenging. Marine missions often last for a long time, and during this period, navigational challenges are significant. The No. 6 Squadron, known as ‘The Dragons’, was inducted into the Indian Air Force for reconnaissance missions in March 1987. All its aircraft were Jaguar fighter jets. Initially, 4 Jaguars were included in this squadron.
In 2007, the Jaguar aircraft moved to Jamnagar, which became its permanent base. By then, the aircraft had been upgraded to DARIN II (Display Attack and Ranging Inertial Navigation) standard. During a naval training session, the DARIN II Jaguar’s Elta radar detected a large ship at sea and moved to ‘attack.’ The American aircraft carrier saw the Indian fighter jet approaching rapidly and preparing to attack, after which a signal was immediately sent to the Jaguar. The American aircraft carrier said, “The fighter is on course 250. This is USS Nimitz aircraft carrier and you need to identify yourself.” This meant the Indian jet had tracked the American aircraft carrier.
When the U.S. Navy learned that their supposedly invincible warship had been tracked by India without making any noise, there was a stir in Washington. India had sent a message to America without firing a shot, indicating not to underestimate its strength. The superpower’s arrogance had been shattered.
