Air Force Station Arjan Singh

Air Force Station Arjan Singh (ICAO: VEPH), formerly Panagarh Airport, is an airport serving the city of Panagarh,[1] in the state of West Bengal in India. Now it's an Air Force base under Eastern Air Command of Indian Air Force.

Air Force Station Arjan Singh

Summary
Airport typeMilitary (Indian Air Force)
OperatorEastern Air Command
ServesIndian Air Force
LocationPanagarh, West Bengal
Elevation AMSL240 ft / 73 m
Coordinates23°28′28″N 087°25′39″E
Map
Air Force Station Arjan Singh
Air Force Station Arjan Singh
Air Force Station Arjan Singh
Air Force Station Arjan Singh (India)
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
15/33 2,743 9,000 Concrete / Asphalt
Source: DAFIF[1]

Units

History

During World War II, the airport was used as a supply transport airfield from 1942-1945 by the United States Army Air Forces Tenth Air Force and as a repair and maintenance depot for B-24 Liberator heavy bombers by Air Technical Service Command.[2] [3]

The airport has numerous wartime relics, with abandoned taxiways and a large concrete parking ramp remaining, although not used and in a deteriorating state.

In 2018 the airport was renamed after Arjan Singh.[4]

Facilities

The airport is at an elevation of 73 m (240 ft) above mean sea level. It has one runway designated 15/33 with an asphalt surface measuring 2743 m by 46 m (9000 ft by 150 ft).[1] The Air Force is planning to deploy six mid-air refuelling tanker aircraft at Panagarh air base in West Bengal. With the deployment of these tanker aircraft in Panagarh, the striking range of fighter planes like Su-30 MKIs based in Tezpur and Chabua (both in Assam) will be enhanced as these can get fuel mid-air. Panagarh is also the likely location of a proposed Army Mountain Corps headquarter.

References
  1. Airport information for VEPH from DAFIF (effective October 2006)
  2.  This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http://www.afhra.af.mil/.
  3. Maurer, Maurer (1983). Air Force Combat Units of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-89201-092-4.
  4. "Panagarh airbase renamed after former IAF chief Arjan Singh". The Economic Times. 11 July 2018. Retrieved 24 November 2019.
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