Of the IAF and Arunachal Pradesh

The IAF is upgrading six airstrips in Arunachal Pradesh bordering China to improve its capabilities to move troops there quickly, Air chief marshal PV Naik said.Naik said these airstrips, called Advanced Landing Grounds (ALGs), would be to augment the IAF's air maintenance in the border state on the pattern of the three new ALGs made operational in Ladakh region in Jammu and Kashmir and in the western region bordering Pakistan in the last two years. The IAF has opened the Daulat Beig Oldi, Fukche and Nyoma ALGs in Ladakh since May last year. Among the new ALGs in Arunachal Pradesh to be upgraded are Along, Walong and Machuka.
Naik said for improving its reconnaissance and surveillance capability, the IAF had inducted an Airborne Early Warning System from Israel, two more of which would be inducted by end of 2010. It also possesses the Aerostat radars, currently deployed along the borders to keep a tab on enemy airbases and troop movements.
The IAF had bought the C-130J transport aircraft for India's Special Forces operations and these aircraft would be based in Hindon airbase in Ghaziabad near the Capital, he added.
Also, the IAF got six IL-78 air-to-air refuelers and it is in the process acquiring more refuelers, for which a proposal was pending with the Finance Ministry, he said.
For hit capability, the IAF was working in collaboration with the Russians for the Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft that it hopes to induct by 2017, Naik said.
Other new acquisitions in the pipeline were multi role transport aircraft, VVIP helicopters, 80 medium lift helicopters, which would be delivered beginning next year.
On the air defence front, the IAF was working on joint ventures for medium range and short range surface-to-air missiles. It would start inducting three squadrons of the Israeli Spyder missiles from 2011-12, he added.
For radars, there were a series of acquisitions planned, including the indigenous Rohini radars from DRDO and BEL, low and medium power radars, and low-level light weight radars for mountainous terrains.
Regarding the deployment of Sukhoi air superiority fighter jets in Tezpur, Assam, Naik said the infrastructure of the airbase was being upgraded and once it was over, the full strength of a Sukhoi squadron would be based there. The IAF had earlier this year deployed four of its Sukhois at Tezpur as a precursor to the full squadron deployment.